Kingdom Hearts II: Another Side, Another Sister
by Wings of Avalon
Summary: Waking from a year of slumber, Sora and friends wonder if their new acquaintance is friend, foe...or something else completely?
1. Prologue

**Kingdom Hearts II: Another Side, Another Sister**

_This fanfic does follow along the storyline of KHII, yet includes the involvement of a new character._

_Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any part of Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts, or any other affiliation thereof. Any other references such as song lyrics or characters in other games or anime strictly belong to their own creators and not me. However, the original character known as "Geni" does belong to me, and any other fanfiction or fanart based upon that character must have my permission to do so._

Prologue

Sora, Donald, and Goofy had awakened from their year long slumber in the basement of the old mansion in Twilight Town. Wondering where they were and how they arrived there, they left in search of more familiar faces. In town they met up with Hayner, Pence, and Olette who had mentioned a short person with large ears who had been looking for them at the train station. With new found hope, they raced through town only to be attacked by a new enemy, soon to be known as Dusks. Still weary from slumber, King Mickey saved the trio and sent them off on a mysterious train to see the unknown.

They arrived at a mysterious tower; it loomed before them dauntingly, yet somehow they felt strangely safe. As Sora, Donald, and Goofy wandered throughout the mysterious tower battling Heartless left and right, they came upon the master wizard Yen Sid. Having spoken with King Mickey earlier, he knew about the predicament with Sora, Donald, and Goofy having slept for a year and their ignorance of what befell and will befall the worlds. Master Yen Sid briefed them, discussing the fate of King Mickey and his endeavors to halt the spread of darkness; the Heartless – although lessened in number – still roamed a great number of worlds, and also of the Nobodies and Organization XIII (since Sora, Donald, and Goofy had lost their memories of Castle Oblivion from Naminé, they did not remember who they were). After receiving gifts of new clothes from the three Good Faeries and a restored gummi ship from Master Yen Sid, our heroes were off and running.

Sora sighed as he looked out into the vastness of the space between the worlds, wondering if his friends were looking out into the same starry night. _I found them once_, Sora thought to himself, _and I can do it again_. Shifting towards his friends, Sora said "How long until we reach Hollow Bastion, Donald?"

Donald, being one of the best gummi pilots and navigators around, replied "Soon Sora. I wonder how our friends have been doing since we fell asleep?" Thinking of their long slumber, Donald yawned involuntarily, cracking his jaw loudly.

"Gawrsh, I hope nobody's forgotten about us," Goofy said, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"I doubt it," Sora replied. "How could they, after all of the battles we fought together? Although these new clothes might make it a little tough." Sora smiled and unconsciously tugged at his new battle gear the three Good Faeries had enchanted for him. "I can't wait to test it out against some Heartless or Nobodies."

"Well, you'll get your chance sooner than you thought. We've arrived at Hollow Bastion; the scanner shows a warm greeting down there just waiting for us," Donald replied with a grim smile.


	2. Back At The End

Chapter 1

Beaming out of the gummi ship, Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked around in awe at the alien landscape. Hollow Bastion was no longer the land of upside down waterfalls and leaky plumbing, but a bustling metropolis. They could see many people at the market place, and peeking over the wall they could see the nearest borough filled to the brim with quaint stone dwellings.

_Is this really Hollow Bastion? _Sora thought to himself. "Donald, are you sure we're in Hollow Bastion?" Sora said, examining the buildings closest to them.

"Gawrsh, it looks kind different now," Goofy said to no one in particular.

"Yes, according to the new map that Master Yen Sid gave to us before we left in the gummi ship. Let's look around to see if we can find anybody we know." Donald began to walk down the steps just as Goofy interrupted him.

"Hey, fellers, we got company!" He pointed towards the sidewalk in front of Donald – a band of Heartless had appeared. The trio prepared for battle but was cut short as the Heartless disappeared and glowing orbs appeared out of the sidewalk.

"Um, what was that?" Sora said, pointing out the obvious. "I think we had better start looking around. Things seemed to have changed more so than we thought."

Continuing walking down the steps, the trio soon found themselves in a quiet subdivision of Hollow Bastion they had never seen before. Stepping through a stone archway, more of the glowing spheres appeared, popping up randomly through the ground around them. Sora began to reach towards one, but a loud voice interrupted him.

"That's the town's defense mechanism, so if you don't want to lose a finger, don't touch it," a cheery but familiar voice stated. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked all around them and found their old friend, the great ninja Yuffie, standing upon the nearest stone wall. "Hey, watch out!" she cried. Suddenly, Dusks appeared from out of nowhere and attacked. Sora deployed his Keyblade, while Donald used his staff and Goofy his shield. Unlike Heartless, which destroying usually took less effort than it took to swat a fly, the Dusks gave a somewhat larger challenge to the three. "Hey you guys! It seems you're still in top form," Yuffie cried as she somersaulted off of the wall, vaporizing the last Dusk into nothingness.

"What did you expect?" Sora replied, smiling. "Looks like at least you are doing okay around here."

"Well what did _you_ expect? After you left to banish the Heartless for good, things quieted down a bit and the gang and I started working on restoring Hollow Bastion to its former glory. But it's been hard work with the Heartless and Dusks hanging around. But that's why you're here, right?" Yuffie smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, I guess so," Sora replied. "We wanted to check on how everyone was doing; Master Yen Sid said things were not all well with the worlds since we left. By the way, have you seen Riku or King Mickey lately?" Sora's eyes belayed his calm manner – they looked pleadingly at Yuffie for good news.

"Nope, sorry, I haven't," Yuffie replied gaily as she bounded off. "Everyone has been working at Merlin's house lately, so come on!" Sora slumped his shoulders, knowing that his second quest to reunite his friends would be just as difficult as the last, if not harder.


	3. Introductions

Chapter 2

Merlin's new abode seemed just as cluttered—yet comfortably chaotic—as his last in the Third Quarter of Traverse Town. This time, however, a large computer took up one of the walls. Seated on a cushioned stool was Cid, typing away on some new computer program. Peering over his shoulders were Aerith Gainsborough and Squall Leonhart, better known as Leon.

"Meet Hollow Bastion's Restoration Committee!" Yuffie declared as Sora, Donald, and Goofy pushed the squeaky door open. The occupant's of the house turned in surprise to see their old friends again.

"We missed you so much!" Aerith said with a smile.

"Well, if you louts' ain't in top shape," Cid declared with his dry-humored drawl and (for this story) censored language.

Leon crossed his arms and looked at the three through peering eyes. "I knew it," he said gravely.

"What?" Sora said innocently. "I haven't been here long enough to do anything!"

"Guilty conscience," chuckled Donald to Goofy. The sniggered quietly.

"Ahem." Leon cleared his throat, making Donald and Goofy meticulously study the floorboards. "As I was saying. A few days ago, suddenly everyone here just—well, to put it bluntly—_remembered _you. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary; just like recalling something from a long time ago – forgotten but not lost."

"What?!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy yelled in unison. "How could you guys have forgotten us?"

"So where have you been anyway?" Yuffie questioned, itching for news. "There's been no trace of you for an entire year, ever since the worlds returned to their original states."

"We've been sleepin'," Goofy said.

"Where? In a refrigerator? No, wait, maybe in Leon's sock drawer! It's like a black hole in there!" Cid slapped his knee and roared. Leon gave Cid a gentle but forceful smack on the back, toppling him off of his stool. Cid began to mumble something about "decent office attire."

"Umm, okay. Either way, has any of you seen the King or Riku lately?" Sora yet again asked an impossible question. Sadly, everyone shook their heads no.

"I wish the King were here, and then we would have had help earlier with our _significant_ problem," Leon said. "Hollow Bastion has an infestation –"

"Of Heartless? Or maybe Nobodies?" Sora chimed in.

"The usual. Yet this time seems different; the Heartless and Nobodies are acting as coordinating groups. Come with me over to the Bailey and you'll see what I mean." Leon walked towards Merlin's door and pulled it open. "Oh, and Sora? Watch your step." Leon vanished out of view.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy, after saying goodbye to their old friends and receiving cards designating them as Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Honorary Members, ran across the street and up the stairs to the Bailey. It was an old concrete wall that ran alongside the entire side of the town. Tall, grey, and ominous looking, Sora couldn't help but wonder what was meant to be kept out.

The inside of the Bailey was just as dreary as the outside, if not more so, because of only a few shafts of light illuminating the passageway. Leon was leaning against a stone wall, watching with somber eyes some scene below the wall. Pointing out of the opening, Leon stated with a note of sorrow in his voice, "Look at that." Sora, Donald, and Goofy could only look on in horror, as thousands upon thousands of Heartless and Nobodies roamed the lifeless ruins below them. "We all want to restore Hollow Bastion to its former splendor, and make a paradise for all to enjoy once again. We can handle everything, except for this – which is why we were all extremely glad you showed up when you did."

"We can handle this, no problem," Sora smiled and gave Leon a thumb's up. Donald and Goofy also nodded their acknowledgements.

"Good. I knew I could count on you three. On the other hand, do you have any idea what's been going on lately?"

"Well, we know a guy named Pete is plotting with the Heartless, but he's too thick to tie his own Velcro sneakers. However, there is Organization XIII to worry about, the ones' who can control the Nobodies."

"Well, well. Speak, and we appear." A sinister voice rang out among the small group. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Leon looked all about them but saw no one. Sora ran out of the Bailey, searching for the mysterious voice.

"Where are you! Show yourselves, you cowards!" Sora yelled in a thunderous voice.

"My, no need for harsh words, boy." An individual in black suddenly appeared on top of the nearest wall. Raising his arms, five more beings in black also appeared.

Goofy gulped nervously. "It's Organization XIII!"

"How perceptive you are. The Keybearer surely chose intelligent individuals for friends." Goofy looked dumbfounded for a moment, then furious. "However, we cannot stay for long because of matters demanding the utmost care. I thought we could have conversed like friends, but I guess not." The other members of the group in black laughed.

"Come down here and fight! Let's settle this here and now, whoever you are!" Sora deployed his Keyblade out of his being, readying himself for battle.

"I do not believe today is the day for our confrontation. However, there is someone else who is eager to do battle with you. You might say they even have an old score to settle."

"What are you talking about? Is this your strategy, talking nonsense until I fall asleep of boredom?" Sora lunged toward the group.

Suddenly, another figure in black materialized directly in front of Sora, blocking his Keyblade with a long, sinister looking black staff. Sora jumped back in surprise, nearly landing on top of Donald, who had followed right behind him.

"Who are you? Are you with the Organization too?" Sora demanded. His Keyblade still at the ready, he eyed his new opponent cautiously.

"Hmmm, now that's a tough one." The voice startled Sora; he suddenly had an intense feeling of déjà vu. "Shall I give you a hint Sora? Maybe not; I want to see who you've turned out to be!" The person in black stood there laughing, enjoying the confusion and inner turmoil Sora seemed to be in.

"Who are you!? And how do you know me! I doubt I've ever met someone as bizarre as you or your friends before!"

The being in black suddenly became very still and quiet. "How dare you speak to me like that, traitor." Suddenly, time seemed to slow down. The being darted almost too quickly for the eye to see towards Sora, and lashed out with the black staff and struck Sora hard and swift in the stomach. Sora flew and hit the wall behind him with a loud crash. The wall caved in slightly where he landed, indicating the force of the impact and the power behind it. A small sound wave from the concussion blew Donald's hat off.

Sora fell to the ground, but quickly wobbled to his knees, then fell again due to the stars circling his head. "Hey, what was that –" Sora was cut short by the tip of the black staff resting delicately on the Adam's apple of his throat.

"Do you really want to know who I am? I'll tell you – no wait, even better, I'll _show_ you." With the staff still resting against his throat, the person threw back the hood of their cloak. Sora gasped, and Donald and Goofy could only look on in utter disdain: staring Sora down was a pair of ocean blue eyes identical to his own, but frozen with icy hatred.


	4. Who?

Chapter 3

Those eyes; Sora would never forget those icy blue eyes as long as he would live. They were ocean blue, like his, but frozen solid with hatred – and something else Sora couldn't quite put his finger on. They kept staring at him, unblinking, waiting. The most astonishing thing was the _they_ was in fact a _girl_. And this girl was the identical match of the boy whose throat was at the mercy of her staff.

"Well Sora? I've been waiting for this moment for a long time." Those eyes kept staring at Sora, still unblinking, still waiting, while their owner chuckled eerily. "I suppose you're wondering who I am? Well, at least you have one clue: it is like looking in a mirror, no?"

Sora, still in a paralyzing shock, could only stare with his mouth slightly gaping. _Who is this girl? _he thought. _Why does she look like me? She couldn't be related to me - I was an only child. She must be some trick of Organization XIII to deceive me!_ While Sora was battling his own thoughts, he missed the looks of bewildered acknowledgement between Donald and Goofy.

"Well, what have you to say for yourself? Or have you forgotten already? No, wait. Are you going to deny even my existence? I will never forgive you for what you have already done to me." She narrowed her eyes at Sora.

Finally, Sora seemed to wake up from his trance. "Who ARE you? I've never seen you before in my entire life! You're probably just some Nobody whom the organization made to look like me – except for the gender malfunction, of course." All at once Sora's battle instincts woke up: he leaned back and knocked the staff away from him using his Keyblade. The girl didn't seem fazed at all as Sora leaped back to join his friends. The tension in the air was thick; Sora and the girl stared each other down, trying to predict their opponent's next move.

"Well, we would fancy staying and watching the rest of this reunion, but other matters are pressing. Do with him what you want, but keep him alive," instructed the leader of Organization XIII. The seven individuals in black disappeared into the darkness as if they had never existed. The stand off continued between the two, until the girl began to smile.

"What?" Sora demanded.

"I'd always imagined our first meeting being a little different. From the time that I learned of your existence, it was always my hope to see you in person. However, now I feel quite different; right now, I want to make sure you suffer for the pain I have had to endure."

"What pain?! What suffering?! I don't even know who you are, much less even what you are." Sora was still doing battle in his mind with irrational thoughts that kept popping out at him.

"Well then. Maybe you should ask Donald or Goofy to enlighten you?" the girl said with a glare. The girl's black robes billowed slightly in the wind, her staff still pointing with deadly accuracy at Sora's chest.

Sora turned slightly, not letting the girl out of his sight. Donald and Goofy had been staring along with him, but when he turned they would not meet his eyes. They stared at the ground, Goofy trying to hide behind his shield and Donald polishing his staff with his shirt. "Well guys, it seems that she—or it—knows you. So who is she?"

Donald shifted uneasily on his feet. "Well, we weren't supposed to say anything about it. The King has ordered that no one speak of it," he said more to the air than to Sora.

"But Donald, he's gonna know soon enough anyway, why not just tell him now?" Goofy said, looking beseechingly at Donald. "Even though the King said –"

"I know what the King said about it – don't lecture me," Donald snapped back at Goofy.

"Guys – what's going on? What aren't you allowed to tell me?" Sora couldn't believe how his friends were acting; what could be so important that both Goofy _and _Donald were actually being serious for once?

"Hmm, so that's the policy about it? I wondered what that absurd little mouse had done about it," the girl replied. "It seems I created more of an uproar than I had ever imagined. Maybe I should defect more often," the girl laughed maniacally. "Even so, it is time we continued with this match. Or are you too afraid to fight me?"

Sora slowly turned back towards the girl. "I may not know the whole story, or what is going on between you and my friends, but I do know one thing: you are evil, and so must be stopped along with the rest of Organization XIII!" Sora's Keyblade began to pulsate, a forewarning to his opponent of his intent.

"Don't make me laugh, little one."

"You're the same height as me!" Sora retorted.

"I suppose; but the similarities between us end with our physical attributes!" She lunged toward Sora again, with that same incredible speed. However, this time Sora was ready. He shifted his Keyblade into a defensive position and effectively blocked her first attack. They grappled for a moment, before Sora broke free and swung his Keyblade in a downwards thrust. The girl used her staff to roll the Keyblade to the side, and sprang into Sora's open spot. However, a round shield was forced towards her and her staff hit it and rang out like a tuning fork.

"Out of my way, dog," said the girl menacingly.

"No! I won't sit around and watch you two duke it out! I hate fighting you, but if you insist on threatening Sora, then I will!" Goofy, for once, stood up to his full height and looked like the knight he was supposed to be.

"Me too! I don't care what the King decreed; if you want a fight, you'll get one!" Donald also took a defensive stance next to Goofy, both in front of a bewildered Sora.

"Guys…." Suddenly a bright light illuminated the entire area. Every shadow disappeared and a low chanting could be heard.

"Ahh – what is this light! You'll pay for this, all of you! Especially you, Sora – I'll get you yet!" The girl, shielding her face with her hands, disappeared into the same darkness into which the Organization had previously utilized.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were still shielding their faces when the light began to diminish. The bailey once again took on its dark and foreboding appearance. To their surprise, they saw Leon running towards them, with Merlin hot on his trail.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy! Are you all right?" Leon's normally stoic face was now creased in thought and his sharp tone of voice betrayed his uneasiness. Merlin huffed and puffed a quick "Hello," all the while checking the trio to make sure there was no serious damage. "I ran back for help as soon as the Organization appeared, but it seems like you dealt with them quite efficiently."

"Leon, Merlin, we're fine. But," Sora looked at them questioningly, "I believe I have missed something, something that Donald and Goofy will not tell me. What is the connection that I have with that girl?" Leon, Merlin, Goofy, and Donald all looked incredulously at Sora; he knew that they were keeping something from him, and with that look he knew that his inference about the relationship between him and the mysterious girl was valid.

"Hmm, I believe he is now ready to know, Leon," Merlin said quietly.

"Sora, are you sure? We don't want to burden you with this knowledge, and make you feel obligated towards it," Leon pointed out.

"Well, as Goofy said before I would probably have learned about it sooner or later. Why not make it sooner?" Sora smiled towards them.

_He's going to make this hard_, Leon thought. "Alright, but let's go back to Merlin's house where we can speak in private. Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid will want to be in on this conversation as well." Leon turned and began walking back down the stairs. Merlin, Donald, and Goofy followed him slowly. Sora paused, surveying the sight of his latest battle.

_Who is she?_, he thought to himself. He wanted to know, but a part of him was afraid of what the truth could possibly be.


	5. A Long Story, Part I

Chapter 4

Aerith set the last steaming cup of tea in front of Merlin. Everyone was assembled around his table, which seemed to have magically grown larger with every chair that was pulled up to it. Aerith had prepared tea and snacks, knowing this would be a long afternoon. Everyone seemed tense and anxious except for Sora, who was contentedly munching on some cookies. Donald and Goofy were especially nervous, so much so that Goofy's teacup kept shaking and rattling every time he took a sip.

"Well," Leon stated, shattering the silence. Everyone looked up towards his strained face. "I suppose it's about time that we begin. Sora, most of us know this story well, so it will be hard hearing it again. But for your sake…and hers, we must tell it once more."

Leon cleared his throat before beginning. "Let's see, it would have been about 15 years ago. Back when Hollow Bastion was a beautiful place and its people lived happily under its ruler. It had been raining all night, and rivers were running through the streets. The sun was coming up, and the city was just opening its eyes. At my house, my parents and I were preparing for the day – I remember it especially because we were going to go to the annual fair in the town plaza."

"We were celebrating the town's centennial birthday," Aerith added sadly.

"Yes, banners and flowers were everywhere; the town and its people were dressed in their finest," Leon added, disregarding Aerith's interruption. "My mother was running a booth, so we had to be there earlier than usual." Leon paused, taking a deep breath. "However, the happy day it was supposed to have been was not what occurred. We arrived at the plaza only to hear shrill crying – my mother told me not to worry though, because it sounded like a baby's voice. However, a crowd was milling around the central fountain, so I ran to investigate. Pushing through everyone's legs, I stumbled to the edge of the fountain and was amazed at what I saw."

"What was it?" Sora asked, snitching yet another cookie.

"It was a baby, but something was different about it. It was small and wrinkly, just like any other baby, but had the deepest ocean blue eyes and brown spiky hair I've only had the pleasure of knowing on one other person."

Sora choked on his cookie, suddenly realizing the extent of the story that Leon was telling him. Donald pounded on his back, helping the Keybearer to swallow the large chunk of oatmeal raisin in his throat.

"Ahem. As you can tell, everyone was surprised. Who would leave a baby floating in the fountain? My father got everyone to quiet down long enough to find out if anyone had any information on the baby. The town watchman had found it first, when he was making his early morning rounds of the plaza to make sure none of the children were making trouble. He said he wouldn't have noticed it at first, except for the light coming off of it. 'Looked like a piece of the moon had fallen out of the sky,' he had said. Anyway, so there we were with a baby that belonged to no one, with no idea how it got there.

"Some of the families decided that someone should go and get the Elder; he was a wise man and would know what to do with the infant. One of the older boys was sent running to the castle to bring him to the plaza as soon as possible. After this, people began dispersing towards their own booths and duties for the day, but with an eye and an ear in the direction of the fountain. As this was going on, my mother stepped forward. She began to reach for the baby, but my father stopped her.

_'Don't touch that thing! We don't know where it came from, or what it might be!'_

_'For goodness sakes! It's a baby – what harm could it do besides drowning us in drool?'_ my mother replied. She bent down and gently brought the basket into reach. Slowly, she reached down and picked up the dripping basket and set it on the ground. The baby stopped crying (finally) and peered at us with its large eyes. Myself, my father and mother, and the several people still lingering crowded around to see the baby. The basket that held it was made out of some kind of silvery vine, but woven tightly so as to be waterproof. The blankets it was wrapped in were like cotton, but softer than silk. The most amazing thing, however, was the locket that the baby wore; it was a silver heart on a chain, with a key inscribed onto it."

"What was inside of it?" Sora asked, sitting forward in his chair.

"No one knows. We could never open it, and we didn't feel like smashing it in order to find out. My mother checked around inside of the blankets, searching for any other kind of identification. There wasn't any, and the baby starting fussing at my mother's touch. She lifted the baby gently and brought it up to where everyone could see it. Like I mentioned before, it was quite an ordinary baby, except for its hair and eyes. I leaned over to see more, and while so discovered that the locket had flipped around and there was something written on the other side of it."

"What did it say?" Sora, now ignoring the food, was almost sitting on top of the table as he leaned toward Leon.

"It only had three words….Genevieve Keilanyi Astraea. Using common sense, we all assumed this must be the baby's name. At least it had that much. While pondering over that, the messenger showed up with the present Elder. Making his way through the crowd that was beginning to grow again, he took the baby from my mother's arms and examined it closely. My father repeated to him the watchman's story, his eyebrows furrowing deep in thought. Suddenly, he addressed the crowd.

'My good people, I see no problems with this child, even though it has come to us without parents or a visible carrier. However, we will care for the child and see if any come to claim it. For now, let us continue with the festivities! Now, where is Lady Soleste?' The crowd cheered at the good news, which of course led to the baby crying loudly yet again. The Elder and the baby – along with its basket and an elderly woman – headed back towards the castle and I didn't see them until the next day. However, the excitement – or maybe a better word for it would be agitation – was not finished with us.

"Of course, the fair was just getting started. There were performers, games, food, and a small parade that would take place that afternoon. Everything went fine for a few hours….until the sky abruptly darkened. To me, it seemed like everything slowed down – people stopped and just stared at the sky. Clouds were swirling in an out of season tempest, and lightning was shooting through it. The skin on the back of my neck was standing up, and my mother was clinging to my father. The darkness seemed to permeate into everything – but the strangest thing was, the darkness appeared to be _alive_."

"Heartless?!" Sora stuttered, a little louder than he had anticipated. It seems he was caught up in Leon's story just as much as the others were.

"Yes. Once the darkness began to manifest itself, pandemonium ensued. People were running left and right, stalls were overturned, and nightmarish screams rang out throughout the city. My mother grabbed my hand, and we began running towards home. However, I tripped and fell – I was so weak…" Leon paused, his hand clenched into a fist.

"When Leon's parents realized he wasn't with them, they turned around to go get him. However, a large Heartless appeared in front of them, and….you know the rest. Leon lost his parents that day, and almost a third of the people in the city lost their lives as well," Aerith explained calmly, placing her hand over Leon's shaking fist. Slowly Leon regained his composure, and smiled tightly towards Aerith.

"Oh, I, um," Sora stammered, trying to find the right words.

"It happened a long time ago. Apologizing now won't bring them back. Besides my parents, Aerith and Yuffie lost their parents, and Cid lost his wife. We were all orphans, and somehow we survived that first terrible day. Those who were left found shelter in the castle; parents who had lost children found children who had lost parents – families were broken and substituted within hours. We knew that no one could survive alone against this new terror. The city began utilizing its emergency codes; rations and blankets were passed out and everyone did their fair share of work, including the children. I don't believe many people slept that first night, but we at least had a little comfort in all of the lights we kept on – with darkness as the enemy, the once comforting and restful night became enemy number one.

As dawn broke, no one wanted to leave the castle – too many of us were afraid of the black monsters roaming the streets outside. Only one man prepared himself to enter outside – the Elder. He gave us words of courage, saying 'Monsters are only the creations of children's imaginations; these _things_ will not break us.' Wielding a sword and a shield, he opened the main gates and stepped forward. Nothing happened. Not one monster approached him. When he reached the city wall and stepped within the boundaries of it, a small black thing darted towards him, claws extended. With a yell, the Elder drew his sword and attacked the small creature – surprisingly, within seconds, the sword had slashed through the creature and it vaporized into thin air. We cheered – we could reclaim our homes and our lives. The men of the city grabbed every available weapon and charged into the city, yelling battle cries and swinging blades. The smallest creatures were easily dealt with, but the larger ones – some as big as a cart – still took down a man or two with it before it vanished as well. Of course our Elder wanted to know our enemy, and after examining the battles and watching how the black creatures stole people's hearts, he thus named them Heartless, the beginning of the universe's death sentence."

"And that's when we came in," Donald stated to Sora. "The Elder called upon King Mickey for his help. The Elder here had been studying hearts, so creatures that devoured hearts were of great interest to him. King Mickey had also been interested in the Elder's findings, and they talked quite often about them. That's how we met her, during those visits."

"Considering this story is about the mysterious girl you met, Sora, let us be getting back to that topic. Anyway, as I said before, the name on the locket read Genevieve Keilanyi Astraea. It was decided that a foster family would be provided for her until someone came to claim her. A small family was found, the Mouri's, who would care for her (they had lost their own son to the Heartless). Since her named was too long for everyday, we opted for a nickname: Geni. So Geni became apart of the city of Hollow Bastion. That is how Geni arrived here."

"So, Geni is my sister? My twin?" Sora said carefully, tasting the foreign words in his mouth. "How did she end up in Hollow Bastion and me in the Destiny Islands? Is my mom _our _mom, or am I adopted too?"

"Yes. Of course she is your sister, we wouldn't find that out until much later – but that is a later in the story. As for your other questions, we don't know. For now, the story is from how we found Geni – until a little over one year ago.

Geni grew up healthy and strong, considering the bad luck that came with her arrival. You see, with Heartless, we know now that until the Keyhole within a world is sealed, the Heartless will keep coming and coming. That is how it was for us. Everyday Heartless would appear, and they would be destroyed. Children and adults alike were trained in how to defend themselves against this seemingly infinite enemy. They didn't appear in the hordes as when they first arrived, and sometimes we had holidays where they wouldn't appear for a few days at a time. Geni, of course, didn't know this fear. She was as happy as any baby could be; she grew up healthy and strong, and was walking and talking within a year or so. Most of the adults loved her, but there were a few of them that blamed her arrival with the onslaught of the Heartless, and treated her as if she had the plague. Of course, she couldn't tell – and no one was willing to tell her. As far as she knew, she was Geni Mouri, not a strange baby who appeared in a fountain. However, all this was to change only three years into her small life.

It had been raining, and the sky was cloudy and sinister looking. Yuffie, Aerith, and I had left school for the day. Aerith was supposed to babysit Geni while her foster parents were at defense practice, but decided to bring her shopping with us at the town plaza. She was like a little bug, flitting here and there, touching and picking up everything. Like any adolescents, we began to get irritated with her – so we gave her a coin and told her to go and toss it in the fountain and make a wish. Her eyes lit up, and she took the coin eagerly and ran away with it. We should have watched her more closely, but we were more interested in the new shipment of trading cards. After about ten minutes, Aerith noticed Geni hadn't come back from the fountain yet. Walking over there, she found her little backpack, nothing else. She started searching the plaza frantically, and finally ran back to us.

_'I can't find Geni anywhere!' _she yelled hysterically.

_'Okay, okay, she couldn't have gone far, we'll help you look for her,' _I said nonchalantly. We began scouring the square again, asking the vendors if anyone had seen her – of course no one had. Now we began to worry – someone had already been attacked by Heartless that morning. We began to run around the side streets, calling her name loudly. We ran and ran, and after about five minutes Yuffie screamed out. She had found Geni's favorite doll, a star with dangly legs named Hikari, something she never went anywhere without – she had already put up a fuss earlier about having to leave it home when Aerith picked her up. We ran down the alley it was in front of, and found the most horrifying sight any of us had ever witnessed." Leon paused, taking a sip of tea to clear his drying throat.

"What was it?" Sora whispered, eyes wide, drinking in all of Leon's words.

"A large Heartless, the size of four people, was sticking its claw into her chest, drawing out her heart. Of course, the three of us jumped into action and set about destroying the Heartless. However the damage had already been done. We annihilated the Heartless, and were taking deep breaths, when we realized that Geni was lying motionless on the ground. Aerith ran over to her, and starting calling her name softly. Yuffie checked for her vital signs, and told us that it was faint, but her heart was still beating – she was alive, at least for the moment. I picked her up gently, and we ran as fast as we could back to the plaza for help. By a miracle, we ran into Mr. and Mrs. Mouri on their way back from practice. When they saw us and Geni lying limply in my arms, Mrs. Mouri screamed. Mr. Mouri took Geni from me and told us to follow him. He ran to the hospital; Geni was still unconscious when the nurses took her from him and told us to wait.

It seemed like hours before anyone told us anything; even the Elder had come from the castle to see Geni. When he came to us, his expression told us everything we needed to know: it was bad, really bad. Geni was alive, but the Heartless had succeeded halfway: it had taken half of her heart. The doctors didn't know if she would make it through the night; she was put on a machine that would help her live.

When we were finally let in to see her – Mr. and Mrs. Mouri had already been in for a while – she was still sleeping, but she looked half dead. She was so pale; you could see every vein in her arms and face. It would be almost a day before Geni would wake up, and then we would find out the extent of the damage the Heartless had done to her."

"So, my sister has half a heart? What does that mean, specifically?" Sora asked, a questioningly look in his eyes.

"Well, from then on, Geni wasn't the spirited ball of energy we had come to know. She would get tired after walking around for only five minutes. Especially being only three years old, it was a difficult adjustment for her. She matured quickly after this – well, as much as a three year old can; she could not play, she couldn't really have any fun. She became very quiet – before, we couldn't get her to stop talking; now she barely said a few words every day. It was like she turned into someone else completely. One good thing – maybe in some ways more than others – that happened because of this accident is Geni found out that she could use magic."

"Like me? What Merlin's teaching me?" Sora said.

"Yes, but your magic is mostly for battling. Things started…happening, after the accident. Since Geni has an all-around sort of magic, things would start flying through the air with a wave of her hand, or her toys would turn into kittens and puppies. She could battle with it like you do, yes, but she could do so much more – like master Yen Sid and King Mickey. At this time, King Mickey first came and really talked with Geni about her future. Since no one had come to claim her in the three years she had been living here, we assumed that she had no real family. King Mickey offered her a life of study at Disney Castle, where she would be tutored like in a normal school, but learn the art of magic and other things as well. King Mickey also offered her this choice because of another reason: here, in Hollow Bastion, Geni and her condition would leave her with a life of boredom, of working menial tasks day in and day out. If she went to live at Disney Castle, at least she could learn to use her new found power and maybe help other people as well.

Well, as you probably thought, Geni accepted King Mickey's invitation. We were sorry to see her go, but the King promised to bring her back for visits every now and again. So off she flew with King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy to begin her new life at Disney Castle.

"And that's where we come in," Donald stated. "Poor girl was frightened out of her wits the first time she came home with us. She was used to people, and non-magical items to help with chores. She practically rushed back into the gummi ship when the broom brigade came by to clean the first time." Donald and Goofy shared a small chuckle at that. "At least then, she was slightly smaller than most of us there, so she fit in just fine. Considering the small suitcase that contained all her worldly possessions, it didn't take long for her to move in. Queen Minnie and Daisy took a liking to her almost immediately; they gave her the grand tour of the castle even before lunch time. Geni's favorite room was…excuse me, _is_, the Grand Library. We have books from almost every world we've ever encountered in there. Geni was fascinated, even though she couldn't really read the large words yet, she loved looking at the pictures.

So that's how she started; each of us had a job in schooling her, besides our other obligatory work around the castle. Queen Minnie taught her reading and writing, Daisy taught her mathematics and science, I taught her rudimentary magic and King Mickey taught her advanced, and Goofy taught her anything we left out. She did take music lessons and healing classes with a private instructor, but I never really met her. Geni was always very quiet and self-reliant since her accident – she never really wanted to bother anyone, but occasionally she would act her age and start running around the castle. Poor thing would get so exhausted that she would collapse somewhere and would have to rest in bed for the rest of the day, at least.

As the years passed, Geni grew older and wiser. You never met a kinder soul, or someone more willing to help out her friends. She also absorbed knowledge like a sponge, and I wouldn't be surprised if she knew everything in our library by memory. She also seemed to gain a vast amount of knowledge from elsewhere too – she would be gone for several days at a time on "learning excursions" with Her Majesty – who knows where they went. Her strength grew as well; the magic training helped with that. For to do magic, you need plenty of physical, mental, and spiritual will. Geni would walk around the castle all day while reading, helping with the chores like cooking and cleaning (Geni makes a mean apple spice cake!), and also keeping us in line – especially King Mickey when he would fall behind on his paperwork. She also grew taller, so she is at least a foot taller or more than most of us, and she is quite pretty too." Donald blushed a little at that statement. "Anyway, so even though Geni is slightly weaker physically, she makes up for that in excess with her knowledge and magical abilities. I've seen her perform spells I've never even heard of!"

"Donald, can we please get back to the story? You're almost to the most important, and most painful part," Goofy admonished gently.

"Oh, sorry everyone." Donald cleared his throat loudly. "Well, as if you couldn't tell, everything was fine until a little over a year ago. We all believed that Geni was happy with her life at Disney Castle; she could do whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted to within reason. However, we couldn't have been more wrong. Geni's heart was hurting her, and she was having visions that she never told us about; they were about _you_, Sora."

"Me?! She was dreaming about me?" Sora squeaked.

"No, not dreaming, having _visions_ about you. Once and a while, Geni would see something – like a movie – play in her mind, but it was about you and then our journey. You see, around the time we left to look for the "Keybearer," you, Geni began _seeing_ you. She knew more about what was going on than anyone else, and she wrote it all down in her journal with all of her other secret feminine stuff." Donald brought out a small notebook that he had been holding; it was a faded purple, with plenty of dog-eared edges. "I thought you might want to have this." Sora held the notebook with a kind of reverence.

_This belongs to my sister! I can't believe I'm holding something of hers! I wonder what she wrote about – is she like me at all?_ Sora thought to himself. He held the notebook tightly. "What else does she know about me?"

"Well, she never told anyone a great deal. If she told anyone, it would have been Queen Minnie. She became like Geni's adopted mother after she came to live at the castle. There was nothing Geni could hide from her. Through Queen Minnie, we found out that Geni knew of the fate of the Destiny Islands, of our search to close the Keyholes and find King Mickey, fighting Ansem, and of reuniting yourself with Kairi and Riku.

Seeing all of us, I think she felt a touch helpless and distressed; the three of us on our quest, King Mickey searching for the Keyblade of the Darkness. I know she had asked King Mickey to accompany him on his quest – we all had – but he had refused. He did mention her heart condition though, and it putting limits on what she could and couldn't do. I think that is what struck her the hardest; she had been working all those years to overcome her disability, yet it still held her back at every turn. That was a little over a year ago, just after our quest began. Today, however, when we saw Geni battling alongside Organization XIII, Goofy and I realized what must have happened the day Geni disappeared."

"What do you mean, 'disappeared'?" Sora said.

"Her heart gave in to the darkness," a small voice supplemented. King Mickey spoke softly, leaning against the doorway in his black cape.


	6. A Long Story, Part II

Chapter 5

"Your Majesty!" Goofy and Donald started, knocking several cups of tea over in the process.

"Shh! Shhhh! You never know who might be listening!" King Mickey admonished gently – and quietly. Goofy covered his mouth quickly with one hand and closed Donald's bill shut with the other.

"What are _you_ doing here, your Majesty?" Sora asked. "I thought master Yen Sid said-"

"Merlin informed me of the incident earlier today, and I believe that a large part of this story is my fault," King Mickey said. He turned toward the other occupants of the table. "Thank you, though, for thoroughly informing Sora on the situation his sister is in. At the moment, only he can break the spell she is under."

"Spell? But I thought you said that her heart gave in to the darkness," Sora implied, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"Well, yes and no," King Mickey said uncertainly. He walked over to the side of the table where Goofy and Donald were still standing. Goofy immediately offered him his seat.

"Tea, your Majesty?" Aerith asked politely.

"No, but thank you Aerith. I'm only planning on being here for a little while longer besides. Ahem, as I was saying, Geni's current allegiance to Organization XIII is not completely of her own free will. As Leon had said, Geni disappeared a little over one year ago, about the same time as yourself, Donald, and Goofy began your quest to lock the Keyholes. Just for reference, you remember that I myself had refused Geni's request to accompany me? I left without having to say goodbye to everyone, and left a note for Donald and Goofy to find. Shortly thereafter – when Geni found out about the letter, Donald and Goofy's immediate absence due to their quest – it was the last straw, as one could say. Geni became quiet, solemn, miserable, and furious. She was tired of her weak body but great power, lack of energy but tremendous talent and knowledge. And then that fateful afternoon outside of Castle Disney.

Geni was sitting in her favorite meadow, just outside of the castle walls. Wild herbs and flowers grew all over the hillsides, ingredients for numerous potions and elixirs she made. Geni was absentmindedly gathering them, but glad that for once she did not have Queen Minnie or Lady Daisy there to chaperone her. This was when the Organization assumed this opportune moment; they sent Heartless and Dusks to attack her, knowing that she could not fight back for long. Also, because of her current self degradation, they took a chance that Geni would try and fight off all of the Heartless and Dusks by herself. They were right – the first dozen Geni took down with ease. But quickly, Geni began to lose strength and stamina. She was rapidly losing ground to the darkness. After another five minutes, Geni was on her knees before them. However, the Organization took this moment to act and sent in one of their own.

A member of the Organization defeated all of the Heartless and Dusks surrounding her. Geni, of course, had not heard of the Organization as of yet – even I had just begun to hear the rumors of their activities. Her supposed rescuer did not speak, but only looked at her…"

_'I didn't need any help, thank you very much!' Geni said, dusting off her skirt. 'I had everything handled until you decided to show up!' Geni said defensively, with a glare in her eye._

_'Of course you did. Those Heartless were quaking with fear from your immense power,' the being said sarcastically. 'Face it; you're just a weakling, a lackey for the King! You have no real power, having to take a nap every five minutes doesn't make you the strongest warrior in all the worlds.'_

_Geni eyed the individual carefully. 'What are you saying?' she articulated slowly._

_'I have friends; powerful friends who could give you all the strength and energy you need – you would never be weak again. No more staying on the sidelines when everyone else is doing their part, no more being pitied or looked down upon as the 'poor encumbered girl who needs a babysitter all the time.' Come with me; you won't regret it.' The stranger dissolved his circular spiked weapons and held his hand out to her._

_Geni was wary; the man had defeated thirty dark beings in only seconds, his superior and cynical attitude made her want to punch him, she could feel a slight dark aura around him, and yet his words stung her heart. How truly he spoke, pinpointing every aspect that troubled her or made her cross. She didn't want anyone to have to worry about her or take care of her, she wanted to help everyone and not hinder them all the time. 'What kind of power?' she asked warily._

_'Take my hand and you will see,' the being said mysteriously. Geni tentatively reached out, but then pulled her hand back when a voice shouted out._

_'Geni! What are you doing! Get back to the castle this instant!' Queen Minnie scolded as she and Lady Daisy came running over the hill. 'Who is that strange-' Queen Minnie stopped short as she felt the dark aura surrounding the being in black._

_Well, that decided it. Queen Minnie for the last time had just acted in the overly-protective way that Geni hated. 'No more!' Geni yelled at Queen Minnie, 'I'm my own person; I want to see other worlds, do what I want to do for once. I won't be a weakling anymore!' Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy halted in their tracks, a confused expression on their faces. Scowling, she stretched out her hand and grasped the black glove. Immediately, Geni and the stranger were engulfed in black flames, the strange person laughing all the while. He disappeared into the black flames, taking Geni along with him._

And that was that last time we saw her – until now. So you see, Geni was not at fault completely; she wanted the power to not have to rely on anyone and not be a burden, and so took the being's offer. However, the dark power that she unknowingly took turned her into an underling for Organization XIII. Using the dark power, she was then induced into thinking that it was _your_ fault Sora that she ended up the way she did. In trying to do a good thing, she ended up being what she hated: having no power of her own. Her free will was taken by the Organization and she is now forced to do their bidding, however she thinks she is a formal part of their faction."

"Oh," said Sora, nodding his head. _So my sister wanted to be independent, to see other worlds like I did – I guess we have more in common than I thought. But what about –?_ "Oh yeah, you said she was under some kind of spell that only I could break?"

"Yes, the spell that the member of Organization XIII put on Geni. I've done some research; the spell seems to have made her whole; since she was missing half of her heart, the darkness filled in the other half and gave her the power she needed. Now, to undo this spell…is a little tricky…"

Sora stood up, his chin up. "What? How do I undo the spell? I will do anything to get my…sister…back." The word still felt strange, but somewhat comforting. The others looked at Sora with renewed hope; here is a boy who only hours ago found out that he had an identical twin sister whom he's never met, yet is already willing to do anything to save her.

"Good. I was hoping you'd say that. Now, do you remember what happened at Hollow Bastion when you saved the princesses and Kairi?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what did you have to do in order to set their hearts free and revive Kairi?"

"Oh! I used my Keyblade, on myself…I don't have to turn into a Heartless again, do I?" Sora asked the King. "That is a very, well, _dark_ memory to say the least."

"No, don't worry. No one's turning into a Heartless. But it uses the same property of the Keyblade: a Keyblade can seal as well as unlock. You must unlock Geni's heart and release the darkness therein: you must thrust your Keyblade straight through Geni's heart."

"WHAT?!" yelled six loud voices. King Mickey winced, and several teacups rattled as well.

"You want to kill her?!" Cid said, banging his fist on the table.

"There must be some other way – the strain that would be putting on her heart could, well…" Aerith gestured abstractly with her hands.

"No. There must be some other way, your Majesty," Leon declared.

"I'm terribly sorry, all of you," Merlin finally spoke, still staring into his cooling tea. "The King, master Yen Sid, and I researched this quite thoroughly, looking for any other loopholes out of this mess. However, we found none. So unless no one here is willing to take the risk, Geni will stay under the control of the darkness forever." No one met Merlin's stony gaze, except one.

"That is the only solution?" Sora said, matching Merlin's stare.

"Yes."

"Alright then." Sora got up from the table and released his Keyblade from his being.

"Sora, wait!" Donald shouted, just as Goofy said "What if-"

Sora turned slightly and looked at them out of the corner of his eye. "All of you knew Geni for years. Any one of you could probably tell me what her favorite color was, to what she liked to eat for breakfast. But what would she say now? What would she do if she was faced with this situation, and I was in her place, or one of you was? Would she sit around discussing the "what-ifs"? Or if there was any kind of chance to save you, would she just get up and do it? I wouldn't want to be controlled by the darkness any more than one of you, and I'm guessing it's the same with her. So choose: will you sit here and let her suffer more, or will you come with me and free her?" Sora looked at each one of his friends in turn. Silence greeted him. "Well, if no one is going to help me, then I'll free her myself." Sora turned away, his eyes moist at the lack of compassion in his friends, when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Now who said we wouldn't help you?" Goofy said with a smile.

"Yeah! All for one and one for all!" Donald chimed in.

"I'll prepare the guest bedroom and get out some medicinal herbs just in case," Aerith added.

"And I'll help!" Yuffie said spiritedly.

"I'll start scouting the area to see if any Heartless or Dusks have shown up. She might be somewhere around there," Cid added, heading towards his computer.

"I will assist you with the search," Merlin added.

"We'll help you find her," Leon added to the chorus. Sora smiled and nodded his head; how could he have been so blind? They were all just as worried about Geni as he was.

"Well then, let's get to it!" King Mickey said spiritedly.


	7. Freedom

Chapter 6

And so it began – the process of liberating a dear friend and sister from the clutches of darkness. Merlin and Cid launched the computer linked to the defenses of Hollow Bastion to scout for dark activity; Aerith and Yuffie prepared rooms, medicine, and food for everyone (just in case); and King Mickey, Leon, Sora, Donald, and Goofy began scouring Hollow Bastion in search of Geni. Little did they know, however, that their actions were being observed very carefully by both good and evil alike.

Two beings in black were lurking around in the shadows of the boroughs and town plaza, following the search parties wherever they went. Both wore the traditional garb of Organization XIII, yet only one of them was loyal to them. Both were interested in how this expedition would conclude, yet only one of them was hoping they would succeed. However, both would eventually turn to help the realm of light. But for now, our focus is on the rescue teams…

They had split into two groups: Leon and King Mickey were searching the western end of the city, near the Town Plaza and marketplace. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were searching the eastern end with the boroughs, bailey, and construction site near the castle. Both groups were having no luck in finding Geni; however they had all encountered Heartless and Dusks aplenty.

"Your Majesty, let's search Stow Avenue next," Leon said, motioning to his left. "There are many side streets and alleys that branch off from it and plenty of them are in the shadows and very private – the perfect places for Heartless and Dusks to hide in. We might find some Organization members with them, or maybe even Geni," he said hopefully.

"Good idea Leon. Let's hurry; the faster we find her, the better." King Mickey took off at a sprint, with Leon quickly falling in step behind him.

_Poor King Mickey_, Leon thought. _He must have taken it pretty hard, to take this responsibility so seriously and with such vigor. I just hope we're not too late_. Leon winced at the possibilities if they failed.

The others were not having much luck either. Having searched the boroughs thoroughly, they headed towards the bailey and the construction site. Donald and Goofy seemed to have been infused with a heartening sense of duty, throwing out their usual gait to that of one with purpose and rapidity. Sora, also filled with this new found energy, lagged behind slightly. He kept fingering the small notebook zippered safely in his right pocket; Kairi's good luck charm was snuggled safely in his left, of course.

_Where _are _you?_ Sora thought to himself. _I have so many questions for you, so many things I want to tell you, so many things I want to show you, so many people I want you to meet. There wouldn't be enough time for everything even if I used Stopga for the rest of eternity. There's got to be some way of finding you; aren't twins supposed to have some kind of connection – even those who have been separated for a long time? Riku showed me that article once in a magazine of his mom's –_

Suddenly, Sora was hit with an idea; well, he almost ran into it, considering it was the nearest wall. "Goofy, Donald, wait! I have an idea!" Sora literally shouted.

Goofy and Donald halted in mid-step. "Whatcha got on yer mind, Sora?" Goofy asked. "Did ya see something?"

"No, not yet, but I have a question for you. Earlier, you mentioned that Geni had magical powers, like me, but way more advanced. Did she have any mental powers, like telepathy?"

Donald scratched his head, and Goofy put his finger to his chin. After a moment Donald whacked his forehead; of course! Why hadn't they thought of that before? "Sora, you're genius is showing," Donald said with a large grin.

"Really Donald? I don't see anything," Goofy stated, giving Sora a long studious look. Donald cuffed Goofy on the arm. "Ya know, that really hurt!"

"Aww, grow up, ya big palooka. Anyway, why didn't we think of that before? Every person who uses magic has a certain, well, _element_ to it that makes it their own. Especially Geni – you could just feel the magic spark whenever she was around. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then it would be easy to tell if Geni were around!"

"My thoughts exactly, I think; but I believe my idea was based more on relation than on magic, although that might strengthen it. Back on the Destiny Islands, Riku showed me a psychology magazine his mom was reading about the mental connections that twins have. Well, being the little kids we were, we tried it out on each other with, how shall I say, _amusing_ results. But here that idea just might work! Just how we do it, though, is a little puzzling." Sora paused for a moment. "How would you contact someone without actually calling for them or using a spell to find them; how would you find them by just _feeling_ for them?" The trio paused for a moment, deep in thought.

Goofy was the first to stir. "I know!" Donald and Sora looked at him expectantly. "Voodoo!"

A silence the size and depth of a black hole greeted him. "Whaaat?!" Sora and Donald both hollered at the same time.

"Yeah, voodoo! Ya know, how you take something from the person you're doing it on and…" Goofy paused, still receiving the stupefied faces. "Ya know, like make a doll to look like them and stick pins in them so they feel it but you're not actually physically doing it to them…but not in that way," he quickly added. Open mouths and glazed eyes still met him. "Well, we have Geni's journal, don't we? We can sorta use it like…that…"

"Goofy, you're brilliant! Absolutely amazing!" Donald complimented goofy wholeheartedly. Goofy blushed a radiant crimson. "Sora, he's right! We can use Geni's journal and our connections to her to find her!"

Sora unzipped his right pocket and delicately took out the faded and worn notebook. Even touching it sent chills up his back. Sora held it tightly but gently in his hands, wondering what to do next. He fingered the worn spine, and opened up the journal carefully. Neat, small lettering was written all over the pages: on the front, the back, the sides, right side up and upside down. Doodles were drawn in more empty spaces, diagrams and pictures of different people. As he was studying the pages, Sora had a strange feeling come over him; he felt calm and relaxed, his eyes closing slowly as if he were falling asleep.

"Sora? Sora! What's going on?!" He could hear Donald and Goofy, but their voices were distant and muted. Everything around him faded into nothing, as if he were the only person left in the universe. All of a sudden, Sora heard faint singing coming from a ways in the distance. It was the most beautiful song he had ever heard; it was haunting and sad, yet filled him with a sense of peace and belonging. It was a song with no words, but made him want to sing along. Sora could only think of only one person when he heard it, and he immediately knew who it was.

"Geni!" Sora snapped his eyes open, finding himself kneeling on the ground with the small journal clutched tightly to his chest as if it were a sacred relic. He was trembling slightly, but also because Goofy and Donald were still shaking him and calling his name.

"Sora! What happened? All of a sudden you stopped and fell; Goofy caught you but you were in some kind of trance."

Sora tried standing up, but immediately fell forward. Donald and Goofy both caught him, and helped him up slowly. "I know where she is; I know where Geni is! I heard her singing!"

"But Sora, we haven't heard–" pause, large floppy ears tilted "–and still don't hear anything."

"But I know it was her! She's this way, follow me!" Sora quickly zipped the book back into his pocket, and dashed off towards the construction site. Goofy and Donald gave each other quizzical looks, and then followed after their young leader.

Sora ran as fast as he could, following his gut feelings. He had never been more certain of something in his whole life; even when he had to plunge his Keyblade into his own heart, or seal his best friend and the King in the realm of darkness, he was all too hesitant. For now, however, at least reuniting with his long lost sister made him all the more confident of also finding Riku and returning both of them home safely to Kairi on the Destiny Islands. At the moment, nothing could stop him or would stop him. _I'll be there soon_, Sora thought to himself. _Just hold on for a bit longer_.

Donald and Goofy had just caught up with Sora when he rounded the bend and skidded to a halt. Goofy hit Sora first, then Donald, and then all three tumbled to the ground. After a bit of moaning and rubbing sore spots, the troop was on their feet. "Hey Sora, why did you stop?" Goofy asked, still rubbing his head.

Sora didn't respond, but slowly began walking towards some heavy machinery. Cement trucks, haulers, and a very large crane were parked under a partially completed bridge that spanned half of the gap high above them. The bright yellow trucks were not what caught Sora's attention; it was the large group of Dusks that surrounded two individuals in black: one with flaming red hair and another easily recognizable figure.

The figure with the red hair was talking and gesturing towards the city, while Geni listened and nodded. The other figure suddenly paused, and seemed to glance around him nervously. Sora ducked down behind one of the trucks, and Goofy and Donald quickly followed suite. Not seeming to notice them, it barked out one last order and a large black oval made of black flames appeared behind him. Geni bowed to the figure, and it stepped through the darkness and disappeared. She stood up straight and turned to the Dusks; with a wave of her hand half of them disappeared. Pausing slightly, she turned toward where the trio was hiding, a sneer upon her lips.

"So, you've finally found me, have you? The Dusks and my superior reported about several individuals running around the town frantically. I could only assume it was you three, and your imbecilic friends."

The three slowly stood up, weapons at the ready. They rounded the truck slowly, keeping an eye on the large company of Dusks in front of them.

"Geni," Sora said, walking slowly towards her.

Geni balked slightly, hearing her name on her brother's lips. "So, they've told you; I assumed as much after our last encounter. What lies did they feed you? Did that pathetic mouse tell you about that 'poor little girl who needs rescuing'? Ha! Don't make me laugh. This was your fault to begin with; you abandoned me in Hollow Bastion in the first place – if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be like this!" Geni shook with anger, fists curled into balls.

"No, it wasn't." Sora still advanced slowly towards his sister. "I don't know why you ended up in Hollow Bastion, and I in the Destiny Islands. I am sorry for what that Heartless did to you all those years ago. But I want to help you, I want to know you. I want to know my sister."

Geni slowly backed away as Sora came closer. Her black staff appeared in her hands; holding it horizontal to her body she used it like a shield from Sora. "No! Stay away from me! It was your fault; it always has been your fault!" Geni was starting to tremble, starting to lose control of her emotions. "Dusks, attack those three! Get rid of them!"

The Dusks paused in their swinging from side to side, and immediately began taking their long strides towards the trio. "Get ready, you guys!" Goofy yelled to Donald and Sora. The Dusk's hands turned into their commonly known sharp points, and the battle began.

Keyblade swinging, shield crashing, and magic obliterating, the Dusks were quickly being taken care of. When not too many were left, Geni began to run off towards the path leading to the castle. Donald shouted out to Sora. "Sora! We'll finish these guys – go after Geni!"

Sora nodded in reply, and after slicing and dicing his last Dusk, he sprinted off after her.

On the other side of town, Leon and King Mickey just happened to be resting near the central fountain when they heard the explosions. "What was that?" Leon asked, shielding his eyes from the afternoon sun and peering towards the noise.

"It sounded like a huge battle to me! Maybe Sora, Donald, and Goofy found Geni! Let's go – maybe they might need some help!" King Mickey and Leon raced off to join their friends.

They were right – Donald and Goofy, after finishing off the Dusks, were about to head after Sora when the being in black from before appeared suddenly in front on them. "Uh-uh, sorry, no can do. This is a private battle; can't have you rushing in to save the day, now can I? Orders are to keep that girl under our control, so no interfering. Here are some more friends for you to play with! Ta-ta, have fun!" The being snapped his fingers, and twice as many Dusks' appeared as last time, but with even more Heartless to support their ranks.

"Gosh darn it! How're we ever going to go help Sora?" Goofy sighed in frustration.

"Come on, Goofy. We'll just have to plough through them like we did before! Here, this might help though!" Donald tossed Goofy and potion and gulped an ether himself. With renewed strength, they once again entered the fray.

Meanwhile, Sora had been chasing after Geni. It was cut short, however, when she ran into a side passage in the canyon which ended up being a dead end. Turning quickly, she raised her staff in readiness.

"Geni, listen to me! I'm here to help you! I don't want to fight you, but if I have to do it to save you, I will!" Sora said, panting slightly from the long run.

"No! I don't have to be saved; I have all the power I need, I don't need help from anyone – especially the person who started it all! I will crush you!" Suddenly, the end of Geni's staff began to glow blue. As she pointed it at Sora, a beam shot out at him.

"Whoa!" Sora ducked and rolled out of the way, just in time. The beam flew slightly to his left, hitting the canyon wall behind him, causing part of it to collapse. _She _is_ powerful! Just like Kind Mickey said. I don't really want to hurt her, but it's for her own good_. Sora stood up and took his position at the ready. "I'm sorry that I have to do this, Geni."

Geni froze in her defensive stance. Why was he doing this to her! She was all powerful now; she had a full heart, so why couldn't she strike him?

Sora noticed how Geni seemed to flinch every time he said something kind or apologetic, as if she wasn't used to such things – or didn't want to hear them. He remembered the look she gave him that morning, the stare that could freeze the ocean over. But thinking about it, he remembered something; he remembered seeing something else in her eyes. _That's it! Geni wasn't just mad or angry at me, she was sad! I bet she knew what she had become, but couldn't do anything to stop it! I was right all along!_ Sora realized that the real Geni, the one everyone knew, was still inside of the being of darkness she had become. He had to save her now; he had to free her from the spell the Organization had put on her!

Brimming with confidence and strength, Sora pushed aside all of his doubts and raised his Keyblade. With a deep breath, Sora leapt into battle, preparing to protect his opponent from herself. However, just as Sora was finding his confidence, Geni was losing hers. Her faith in her power was fading, and truth was slowly returning to her mind. As Sora fought her, he didn't fight _her_ but the darkness controlling her. With every strike and hit, with every block and blow, one twin gained ground while the other lost it.

_No! We will not lose!_ a voice inside Geni cried out. This unexpected statement made Geni pause, allowing Sora to perform Ragnarok on her and send her flying into the nearest wall. Sora, also hearing the voice, paused as well.

"Who was that?" he said to no one in particular. Geni staggered to her feet, her staff lying several yards away. She looked up at Sora, her body shaking.

"S-Sora?" she said haltingly. The voice heard was not the overbearing and confident girl he had been fighting, but a small and timid voice that belonged to someone else completely.

"Geni?! What's going on?"

Geni's eyes opened wide. "Sora! The darkness! It's –" Geni was cut off suddenly when she was surrounded by dark, black flames. They consumed her completely, leaving no part of her visible.

_Well, we can't have her regaining control, now can we?_ Sora heard the voice from before. _Pathetic little boy, you think that you can break the hold we have on her? Bah, useless!_

"Let her go, whoever you are!

_Ooh, I'm so scared. Have at us, little boy, if you can! No one can break this spell!_ The flames around Geni flared up briefly then died down, revealing a transformed person. Geni's hair was now black, and her ocean blue eyes were now a deep gray color with no pupil in sight. This truly was a minion of Organization XIII. _Attack him, dispose of him!_

Geni held out her hand, and her staff flew to it, like a magnet. In her other hand, a ball of static white lightening was forming. Holding it up, she released the magic: bolts of lightening illuminated the already bright afternoon as they raced through the clearing. Sora dodged and rolled to avoid them, bringing him closer and closer to Geni. Once the lightening died down, Sora rushed Geni's side. He swung the Keyblade, but her staff blocked him. Time after time, they rushed each other until they were stuck in a grapple hold on each other.

"Let her go!"

Geni's soulless eyes stared back, her lips unmoving. _No, we think not. She is too valuable an asset to us. You _can't_ win!_

Sora was trying to think of a way to hold her down, or at least stop her long enough to use his Keyblade on her. An idea struck him; he leapt back from Geni, and pointing his Keyblade at her, shouted "Stopga!" The magic circle of runes surrounded Geni, but only for a moment or two.

_Fool! Haven't you learned anything? Stopga can only be used on opponents of your caliber or less! Finish him!_ Geni brought her hands together and said a few inaudible words, and then threw the ball of light she had created in her hands towards Sora. It was too large to dodge, and Sora was caught up in it. It was a time spell as well! Unfortunately for Sora, it worked on him; he couldn't move an inch.

_Now what? I can't even fight back. If only Goofy were here, we could combine into that new Valor Form the Good Faeries gave me. I don't have any other options._ Sora could only look on as Geni lowered her hands and came slowly towards him. She pointed her staff directly at him, as if for the final blow.

_Pitiful human, so weak in body and heart. We told you that you could not save her, and now we will watch as she destroys you and the light's only hope!_

_That's it!_ "You can never destroy the light, whoever you are. Deep down inside each and every one of us there is a spark of light – a spark that will never go out, no matter how thick the darkness around us may be. Your darkness may have control of Geni's body and make up the half of her heart that is missing, but the other half of her heart is still full of the light!" Sora then reached inside himself (metaphorically, of course) and gathered his light, the light that he knew connected him with Geni. "Never underestimate the power of light!"

Light burst forth from his body and illuminated the entire area. It shattered the time spell holding Sora in place, and engulfed Geni and the entity controlling her. She cried out in pain as she flew backwards from the force of the explosion, paralyzing her body for the few precious seconds she was in the air. Sora took his chance and sprinted forward. Time slowed: Geni, flying through the air; Sora, thrusting his Keyblade forward. Geni's eyes, wide with fear; Sora's eyes, narrowed in determination. Tears were running down his cheeks in shining streams. A muffled whisper: "I'm sorry."

_Thud_. A sickening, gut-wrenching, guilt-rending sound. A miserable spectacle any observer would have vomited at, yet in its own way was comforting and relieving (for those who knew the reason): Sora, his head still bent in his thrust. His Keyblade protruded through the center of Geni's chest, with the tip visible on her backside. Geni's eyes were wide in shock. Sora slowly stood up, and as quickly and as painlessly as possible, removed his Keyblade from his sister.

Immediately, a mental scream was heard. Black flames sprouted from every spot on Geni's body, sucked out of her as if by an invisible vacuum cleaner. Her eyes transformed from their soulless grey back to ocean blue, and her hair changed from darkest black to a bronzed brown. Furthermore, her Organization XIII robe disappeared, leaving her in a faded cream colored skirt that reached all the way to her ankles, a sage green short sleeve shirt, long arm protectors stretching from her wrist to her elbows, and worn leather sandals. Her hair was tied in a messy pony tail, stray strands loose everywhere.

For a moment, Geni stood there, her eyes staring and unfocused. Sora could only stare back, his Keyblade laying gently by his side. Abruptly, her eyes closed and her body slowly fell forward as she lost consciousness.

"Geni!" Sora yelled as he ran forward. He caught her, her head resting on his shoulder. "Geni! Wake up!" Sora cried frantically. He turned her over gently and placed her on the ground, but supported her top half with his body. She was so light, he was afraid he would break her with the slightest touch. He pulled her close to him and held her tight. "Geni, please wake up; please, open your eyes," Sora begged, his eyes clouding with tears. He rocked her back and forth, wordlessly asking every known and unknown power in the universe to save his sister. A few tears escaped and trickled down his face, splashing onto Geni's. "This can't be happening, it just can't; we all worked too hard to let it end this way."

The drops of pure brotherly love sparked the life within Geni; she stirred slightly, her eyes opening slowly. There was something or someone holding her; whatever it was, her vision was too blurry to make it out. Yet it was so warm and comforting. Could it be? "S-Sora?"

Sora looked down at his sister, a smile spreading from ear to ear. "Hi," he whispered.

Geni reached up and stroked the side of his face gently. "Thank you…..brother," Geni whispered, smiling back at him, before her hand fell and she lost consciousness yet again.


	8. Illness

Chapter 7

As Sora held his newly liberated sister in his arms, Leon and King Mickey had just caught up to where Goofy and Donald were finishing off the last of the Heartless and Dusks.

"Donald! Goofy! Are you both all right?" King Mickey shouted.

"Your Majesty!" Goofy shouted back, just as he pummeled the last Heartless.

"We're just fine, King Mickey!" Donald proudly reported as the last two Dusks vanished into thin air.

Leon and King Mickey joined their comrades, all four taking several deep breaths. Looking around, Leon noticed one of their group was missing. "Donald, Goofy – where's Sora?"

Goofy and Donald became rigid. "On no! Sora! He went off to chase –" Donald cut himself short as he waddled off in the direction the two teens had run. Goofy was right behind him; Leon and King Mickey could only assume that Sora had been chasing his sister, and so they quickly ran after Donald as well.

Running through the narrow canyon, Goofy, Donald, Leon, and King Mickey called out for the twins. "Sora! Sooooora! If you can hear us, say something!" Goofy called out.

"Sora, Geni, answer us!" Donald added.

"They can't have gone too far," Leon said, slowing slightly. He cupped his ear, listening. He strained to hear any sound: fighting, explosions, talking, shouting, _anything_. The group was running past a small side canyon when Leon skidded to a halt.

"Wait!" he cried. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Goofy asked.

"Shhhhh!" cried Donald. "Leon, what did you hear?"

"I'm not sure," Leon replied. "It was so faint; I thought I was hearing things."

"What was it? What did you hear?" King Mickey asked earnestly.

"It sounded like…something humming. It could be anything; maybe some workers are operating a machine around here somewhere."

_Hmmmm hmmmm-hmm hmmm-hmmm hmmmmm, hmmm-hmmm-hmmm hmmmm hmmmm-mmmmm, hmmmm-hm-hmmmmm._

"There it is again! But, it's too irregular to be a machine," Leon stated.

"Welp, let's check it out, just to be on the safe side. Who knows, maybe the Organization is planning some kind of attack. Where did you hear it coming from, Leon?" King Mickey asked.

"I first heard it when we passed that side canyon back there." King Mickey nodded to Leon and the group rushed back to the passageway they had previously ignored. Even though the path was large enough for three people to walk abreast, it was covered with shadows; the top of the canyon was much narrower than the bottom. As they wound through the time-worn passageway, a heaviness fell upon the group. Later, no one could say what they thought it was, but as Goofy said in his masterful manipulation of the spoken language: "It was like walking through invisible pea soup." Seeing the end of the passage, Leon readied his Gunblade, Goofy doing likewise with his shield and Donald with his wand. As the group exited the stony corridor at a quick jog, all four companions froze mid-step. Yards away, a young boy held his sister in a tender embrace, rocking back and forth and humming a strange tune. The girl in his arms was eerily silent and still.

"Sora?" King Mickey said quietly. The Keyblade master started at the noise, and turned his head up to his friends. He smiled weakly, tears still flowing down his cheeks in small rivers.

"Oh no," Donald murmured softly. "We're too late."

"Sora…is she…?" Goofy faltered.

Sora's eyes widened. "Oh, no, she isn't…you know." A loud collective sigh came from the four.

King Mickey and the others came forward and crowded around Sora. "Are you sure she's okay? Why isn't she awake?" Goofy asked.

"Hmmm, I don't know," King Mickey replied. He placed his hand on Geni's wrist, feeling her pulse. He then placed his other hand on her forehead, gently moving her damp bangs out of the way and revealing her flushed face. He pulled his hand back in surprise. "Oh dear," he sighed. "She's got a really high fever, and her heartbeat is slightly irregular. We've got to get her back to town right away. Who knows what could happen to her in this condition." Everyone nodded, including Sora, but for some reason he didn't move. Leon placed a calm hand on his shoulder.

"Sora?"

Sora jumped slightly, moving one of his hands so he could wipe his eyes, and then looked anxiously up at Leon. "Oh, right," he said distractedly. "Um, Leon? Do you think you could help carry her? She's a bit heavy for me alone."

"Of course," he said, gifting the group with one of his rare, but small, smiles. Leon knelt down next to Sora and carefully took his place, supporting Geni just as Sora had been doing. He then picked her up bridal style, her legs dangling over his arm and her head nestled snugly in the crook of his arm. "Let's go."

The others nodded, and headed back towards the entrance of the passageway. Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey went through first, but Sora lagged behind, picking up his Keyblade from where he had dropped it. He stood there examining it, at the same time thanking it for freeing his sister and equally cursing it for the pain it had caused her. It reminded him of what Ariel's father, King Triton, had said to him back in Atlantica: _"One story said that the wielder of the Keyblade brought order and peace to the worlds, while another said they brought chaos and destruction."_ _Well, I suppose it _is_ half and half; chaos while we destroy the Heartless and Dusks, and peace once the darkness is gone_.

Leon, at the entrance to the path back to the city, turned when he didn't hear Sora's footsteps; Sora was not following him. He watched Sora scrutinize his Keyblade, waiting for him to continue. Knowing what Sora was probably thinking, he waited for him to finish. When he saw Sora tighten his grip on his Keyblade, his forehead crease, he knew Sora would choose the right path – even though it would just get harder. Sora looked up at Leon. "I _will _defeat the darkness and restore her heart, so Geni won't have to fight anymore."

"I'll keep you to that," Leon replied. "Geni needs you to be strong for her right now, to help her overcome this." Sora nodded his reply. "Good, then let's get going!" Leon and Sora hurried after the others.

Back at Merlin's house, Aerith was nervously pacing the floor, occasionally glancing at the ever darkening sky outside. "It's nearly sunset. Where could they all be?" she said to Yuffie.

Yuffie was sitting on a crate near the door, munching on a sandwich. She swallowed the piece in her mouth noisily. "Don't worry about them. They can take care of themselves, and I'm sure they've found her by now. They're probably just taking their time after running around all day."

"I hope your right," Aerith replied, peering through the window.

"Well, nothing has come up on the detection system for a while now. The last couple of blips were over three hours ago." Cid and Merlin had both wandered over to where Aerith and Yuffie were talking.

"That's good," said Yuffie.

"Well, yes and no," Merlin said, tapping his chin in thought. "It could also mean that they – as in the Organization, Dusks, or even the Heartless – are planning something; something quite big, I imagine."

"Oh," Yuffie said dejectedly. "Well, no matter how many they send at us, the great ninja Yuffie will prevail!" She punched her fist high into the air.

"Well, at least one of us is confident," Aerith said with a smile. A sudden boom made all three jump and Yuffie fall off her crate.

"My word! It sounds like we're in for a huge storm! We should check the windows, just in case it starts to hail." Merlin headed for the upstairs, while Aerith nodded and began checking the windows on the first floor. A flash of light illuminated part of the street outside, and another loud boom was heard. Aerith finished checking the shutters next to Yuffie's crate, and then moved on the windows next to Merlin's front door. She had just locked the shutters when she noticed movement outside.

"What was that?" Aerith said to herself.

"What?" Cid replied.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought I saw –" Suddenly, Merlin's front door flew open as Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey stumbled in. "Your Majesty – Donald – Goofy! You're back!"

"Yes, and we have good news." The three stood huffing and puffing, catching their breath.

"Well? What is it?" Cid grumbled.

"We found her!" Goofy said, standing up straight, a giant smile on his face.

"Really? How wonderful!" Aerith exclaimed.

"Well, where is she then?" Yuffie inquired.

"Well, you see…" Just then, Sora rushed in, quickly followed by Leon. They were both slightly wet, as it had just started raining when they turned down the street Merlin's house was on. For some reason, Sora's jacket was lying on top of Leon's arms. He walked towards Leon and pulled his jacket off of the still form lying in them.

"Geni!" several voices cried out at once.

"I found her and I…I used my Keyblade on her, and now she's sick. With a high fever, King Mickey said. She's needs a doctor, some medicine…" Sora paused, his head bent downward.

Aerith was the first to snap out of their slight daze. "We need to hurry then. Leon, Sora, take her upstairs into the first guest bedroom. Yuffie and I prepared them earlier with clean linens, and I already put the medical kit up there as well. Donald, go and start boiling some hot water for later. Goofy, I started making some soup earlier, could you finish putting in the rest of the ingredients so we can all eat? Yuffie, I'll need your help upstairs. Sora, Leon, when you're done, go and dry off so you don't get sick as well. Merlin, please notify Dr. Ubito and have he come here as soon as he possibly can." She paused, noticing no movement among her friends. "Well, do you want her to become even sicker? Get going!"

"Yes ma'am!" cried all six of them. Leon and Sora hurriedly carried Geni upstairs, quickly followed by Aerith and Yuffie. Goofy and Donald hurried to the kitchen, and Merlin went to his crystal ball. Only Cid and King Mickey were left standing around with nothing to do.

"Wow, talk about taking charge," Cid muttered. "Could have fooled me with that 'innocent little girl' act of hers."

"Well, Aerith didn't take all those medical courses at school just so she could put band-aids on," King Mickey replied with a smile. "But if you'll excuse me, I also need to call someone."

"Really?" Cid asked with a raised eyebrow. "Who?"

"Oh, just Queen Minnie; you know, wanting to know what I'm doing every second of the day, how the battle against the darkness is going, you know. Worrying herself to pieces." King Mickey seemed to be fumbling for words, grasping for a valid sounding reason.

"Of, _of course_, the missus. Can't let them go to pieces, now can we?" Cid said with a wink.

"No, of course not." King Mickey began backing away towards the door. "Tell the others I'll be back soon."

"Sure." And with that King Mickey strolled _very _quickly out the door. "I wonder what's up with him?" Cid shook his head, and headed towards his computer. "Might as well fix those glitches in the mainframe I've been meaning to work on."

Meanwhile, Leon and Sora had placed Geni in Merlin's guest room. It consisted of one full-size bed, one nightstand with a lamp, a dresser, and a writing desk under the window with one chair. Other than those few pieces of furniture, the room was otherwise bare. The desk had Aerith's medical kit on it, as well as bandages, compresses, blankets, and a thermometer. Once Leon had carefully laid Geni on the bed, he turned towards the door. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," he replied with a wave.

"Okay," Aerith answered. "Sora, if you want, you can go too. The soup should be ready soon."

"Sure. But may I come up and see her when you're done?" Sora asked, glancing around the room.

"Hmm, that will depend on how sick she is. When you used your Keyblade to break the spell, it took away the dark half of her heart that made her whole – in a sense. For now, all she needs is plenty of rest. Once she is stable, I'll let you know."

"Okay." Sora quietly walked out and pulled the door shut behind him. _Aerith is taking care of her; she'll be fine. Although, I can't wait for her to get better, so I can talk with her. I wonder what she's like?_ Sora contemplated how similar he and his twin might be, all the while noticing just how big Merlin's house really was. He could see several doors leading down a long hallway. Each of them had a sign posted; the bathroom was next to the guest room Geni was in, and then there were four more guest rooms, a library, storage, a lab, some other rooms, and another staircase. Small sconces illuminated the hallway, yet only where he had been walking. The lit themselves automatically as he came near, or put themselves out as soon as he walked away. He realized that, somehow, Merlin's house was bigger on the inside than on the outside. _Well, he is a magician,_ Sora thought to himself with a smile. Suddenly, Sora smelled something delicious wafting up from downstairs. His stomach gurgled loudly in protest. Sora chuckled; "Alright, time to eat." He walked down the stairs and joined his friends at the table.

Upstairs, Aerith and Yuffie were making Geni more comfortable. They had removed her outfit and placed her in a spare nightshift of Aerith's. It was a little big, but it would do the trick. She was still sweating a great deal, and her breathing was slightly labored. Aerith went over to the desk and retrieved the thermometer, placing it in Geni's mouth. After a minute or so, Aerith removed it and exclaimed: "My goodness! She's at 106 degrees! I hope Dr. Ubito arrives soon; until then, let's get her a cool compress." Yuffie nodded, and grabbed one of the cloths' and hurried over to the bathroom to douse it with cold water. Thank goodness Sora and Geni had not caused some _real_ damage to each other during their fight; they only walked away with some bruises and small scrapes. However, Aerith did notice a small star-shaped scar over Geni's heart. It did not look new and Aerith assumed that must have been where the Heartless had attacked her years ago.

"Poor thing," Aerith said, sitting on a stool next to the bed. She took Geni's hand in hers, which was quite clammy considering how hot she was. She looked so small lying in the bed; her flushed face betrayed her calm appearance, but what worried Aerith the most was the wheezing breaths that Geni took. It sounded like she was having trouble breathing. She bent down towards Geni's chest, and listened as she took several shallow breaths. It didn't sound like she had any fluid in her lungs, but with some of the beating she took from Sora, she might have bruised a rib or two.

"Here you go, Aerith," Yuffie said, returning with the damp cloth.

"Thanks. This will definitely help." Aerith placed the cool cloth on Geni's head. Her body reacted and shuddered a little from the cold. However, soon her breathing became a little less labored, more deep and even. "Good. As long as we can keep her fever down and hope it breaks soon enough, I think she'll be just fine. Has Dr. Ubito arrived yet?"

"Don't know. But I'll head downstairs and check, if you don't need me yet?"

"Go ahead – get something to eat. I'll stay up here with her for a while until the doctor gets here. We'll look over her in shifts, at least for tonight, or until her fever breaks and she wakes up."

"Gotcha. You want some soup or something?" Yuffie called as she headed for the door.

"No, but let everyone know what's going on, okay? And let me know as soon as Dr. Ubito arrives."

"Sure." Yuffie headed down the stairs, leaving Aerith and Geni alone in the semi-dark, listening to the lullaby of the rain as if fell on the roof.

Merlin, King Mickey, Cid, Leon, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were slurping down soup and munching on crackers when Yuffie finally came downstairs.

"Yuffie! Hungry at all?" Goofy said as he started to get up.

"Yeah, a little." Goofy nodded and headed over to get another bowl. Yuffie came took an empty seat next to Merlin. In seconds, Goofy was back with a steaming bowl of soup. "Mmmmm, looks good. Thanks Goofy."

"No problem," Goofy said as he slipped back into his own seat. "I haven't cooked like this in a while, since Maxie was just a little squirt. How's Geni doing, by the way?"

Immediately, the slurping stopped, and seven pairs of eyes looked at Yuffie expectantly. "She's okay, but still really sick. Aerith said she has a _really_ high fever, and she's wheezing slightly when she breathes. Also, aside from a couple of good bruises and some small cuts from your battle –" Sora studied his plate intently when she mentioned this "– she's just fine. Dr. Ubito will examine her a little better when he gets here."

Sora smiled and glanced at the small bandage on his arm, where Geni had made contact with her staff. _I wonder if she'll show me some of her fighting skills; maybe she would be a good sparring partner, when she's feeling up to it, of course._

"Well, that is indeed good news," Merlin said, stroking his beard. "Maybe her encounter with the darkness has made her stronger and more resistant to its effects."

"Well, we'll know once she wakes up," King Mickey said. He had returned from "calling" Queen Minnie shortly before Yuffie had come downstairs. "Sora? You're awfully quiet. Anything on your mind?" King Mickey asked as he slurped his soup.

"Well, a couple of things. First, though, Goofy – who's Maxie?"

"Oh, I'd forgotten that you haven't met him yet. He's my son Max, a knight (in training) like his old man."

Sora choked slightly on his soup. "You have a _son?!_"

"Of course; you've already met Donald's three nephews: Huey, Dewy, and Louis. However, they usually stay with Donald's brother, Scrooge. The triplet's were orphaned when they were just babies, so Scrooge took them in."

"Well, I wasn't looking for a genealogy lesson, but thanks. I also –" Suddenly, the door burst open and a burly, wet man stepped through the threshold. Throwing back his hood, a large grimace encountered them.

"Skies above! What a storm!"

"Dr. Ubito!" Merlin exclaimed, standing up and heading towards the sodden man. "So glad you received my message. I hope your trip wasn't too wet?"

"Not too bad; the river's risen slightly, but no flooding as of yet. Now, you said Geni was back?" The doctor shrugged off his wet coat, and Merlin's magic floated it over towards the fire to dry off. "Where is she?"

"Upstairs, if you'll please follow me." The doctor nodded, and followed Merlin up the stairs.

"Seems like a nice guy," Sora said, following the two with his eyes.

"Dr. Ubito has been the city's main doctor for as long as I can remember. He was also one of the first to try and treat Geni when she was little, so they go way back. He and Merlin have also been friends since he moved here," Leon said. "If anyone can help out Geni, at least non-magically, he can."

Leon's statement made Sora feel a little more comfortable. Finishing his soup, he took his bowl over to the sink and began to wash it.

"Don't worry 'bout that stuff, Sora, I'll finish it. Go and relax for a while." Goofy smiled as he brought over more dishes.

"Okay, I am a bit tired." Sora yawned loudly, stretching his arms. He went towards the roaring fire and sat down on a small bean bag-like chair. Stretching out his and legs, he put his arms behind his head as a head rest. He sat there for a while, just enjoying the warmth of the fire. _I wonder what everyone else is up to_, Sora thought to himself. _At least Kairi is safe back on the islands, but what about Riku? I'll have to ask King Mickey once he's done eating. I hope he's okay, wherever he is._ Sora took several deep breaths, and began humming the strange tune again. It didn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to it, but it sounded both sad and happy at the same time.

"What's that song, Sora?" Leon asked as he came over. "You were humming it before, when we found Geni and you."

"Hmm, I don't really know," Sora replied, his eyes still closed. "I first heard it when we were looking for Geni. That song is what led me to her."

"Actually, that doesn't surprise me." Sora opened one eye towards Leon.

"Why not?"

"One of Geni's favorite things to do is sing, and of course make music in general. She can play many different musical instruments, but I believe her favorites were the cello and the wood flute."

"Really?" Sora was interested now. He sat up and looked straight at Leon. "What else does she like to do?"

"Sorry, Sora. You'll have to find out on your own. This is not a conversation you should be having with me, but her."

"Thanks a lot, Leon," Sora muttered as he slumped back down into his seat.

"Well, you won't be waiting for too long," Merlin announced as he and Dr. Ubito descended the stairs.

Sora and Leon both got up quickly and went over toward the two. "That was quite quick. Is she doing that well?" Leon asked.

"Overall, Geni has a high fever causing plenty of sweating. The fever should break by morning or tomorrow afternoon at the latest. She also has two bruised ribs, and should take it easy for at least two weeks or so. I've given Aerith all the directions and some medicinal tea for her to help the recovery process. I must say, though, that she is in quite excellent condition. Aerith did a bang up job; there wasn't much left to do besides a quick physical. So, if anything else should come up, just ring me. Well, goodnight everyone." Dr. Ubito nodded to everyone, as Merlin handed him his dried coat back. Shrugging it back on, be braced himself once again and stepped out into the stormy night.

"Well, ending the night with good news always helps me sleep better. I suggest you all get some sleep as well; Aerith said she will watch over Geni for a few more hours and Yuffie after that. Would anyone like to volunteer for the early morning watch?"

"I'll do it," Sora said.

"Good. Well, get plenty of rest until then. I'll show you where you can sleep." Merlin motioned for Sora to follow.

"We'll just finish these dishes," Goofy replied. Donald nodded as well. Cid grumbled a good night from where he was on his computer, clicking and typing away.

"I'm not that tired yet, so I'll keep Cid company for a while," Leon said. King Mickey was still polished off the last of the soup, and waved a goodbye as he slurped yet another spoonful into his mouth.

"Okay. See you later then." Sora followed Merlin upstairs, and into the third room on the left. Three twin size beds, each with a nightstand and a small lamp, were lined up across the far wall, with a dresser and a desk on the wall next to the door. The lights in the room had automatically come on when Sora and Merlin had entered.

"Pick whichever one you want, Yuffie will come a wake you up when it is time."

"Thank you Merlin," Sora said with a yawn and a stretch.

"No, thank _you_, dear boy. You've given back a great asset to the realm of light. What you accomplished was no small feat. Soon, you will see just what I mean."

Sora nodded, wondering at Merlin's puzzling words. Merlin nodded back, and walked out and closed the door. He walked to the farthest bed, and sat down on it. Kicking off his shoes, taking off his coat and kingdom necklace, he laid down on the soft bed. How long had it been since he was in a decent bed? The lights dimmed slowly, until it was completely dark in the room. Always in his thoughts, he wished Kairi and Riku were as comfortable as he was just before drifting off to sleep.

The rest of Merlin's house gradually began to slow. Cid and Leon put the computer on standby until morning, and headed to their own respective guest rooms. Donald and Goofy finished the dishes, arguing about where the silverware was supposed to go. Yuffie, after a while, took Aerith's place and sent her off to bed as well. Merlin stayed in his room, studying one of the many large reference volumes about horticultural magic, to see if he could make his tomatoes grow larger. King Mickey was still sitting by the dwindling fire, a thoughtful look on his face. Finally, all was quiet – not even the Heartless or the Dusks were disturbing anyone for once.

"Sora," someone whispered. Something shook him gently. "Sora, wake up you sleepyhead. It's your turn on watch duty."

Sora opened one eye slowly. Yuffie was standing over him, her arms crossed in impatience. He sat up, slowly, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What time is it?" he said with a yawn.

"About three in the morning. I've been watching Geni for the past four hours now, and your shift is until seven when King Mickey takes over."

"Okay." Sora slid his feet into his shoes, and put his kingdom necklace and jacket back on. He followed Yuffie out the door, finally noticing the _very_ loud snoring coming from his two friends on the other beds. Goofy's ears were covering his eyes, his snoring sounding like a train. Donald's bill flapped whenever he breathed in and out, making it sound like someone knocking continuously. Sora smiled, wondering how he managed to sleep through all of that.

Walking out the door, Yuffie commented "I am so glad that Merlin's walls are _very_ thick." Sora smiled in return. They walked the short distance to Geni's room, where she was sleeping with only a slight rasping noise.

"Her fever's gone down a few degrees already, to about 103 when I checked her a little while ago. Check her compress every once and a while, and get it wet with cold water when it becomes to dry or too warm. If anything else happens or if you need anything, just wake up Aerith or me. Okay?"

"Sure. See you later, Yuffie," Sora said as he took his spot on the stool next to the bed.

"Uhh-huh," Yuffie said as she yawned noisily and left the room. The lamp softly illuminated the room, and the rain continued to pound on the roof. It was awkwardly quiet, and Sora fidgeted slightly on his stool. He ended up examining his sister, seeing how alike they actually were. The both had the same brown, spiky hair, but hers was much longer – at least down to the middle of her back – and tied into a neat braid. They looked to be about the same height, and of course they both had those deep ocean blue eyes. Even though Sora was an only child – at least he _used_ to be – he considered Riku to be like a brother to him, and Kairi – well, maybe a little something more. Once again dwelling on his friends, Sora sighed deeply.

Geni grimaced in her sleep, tossing slightly on the bed. Sora stood up and leaned over the bed, wondering if she was about to wake up. She turned slightly towards Sora and once again fell into a deep sleep. Sora sat back down on the stool.

"Hey," he said quietly. "I don't know if you can here me, but…" Sora paused, wondering if he was being silly for talking to a person who couldn't hear him. "Umm, Leon said you liked music. I do too, in a way; most of the music we got was from the mainland, nothing really native to the islands. Someday we'll go there, to the Destiny Islands, and you can meet my mom and dad and all my friends. Tidus and Wakka are hilarious, and Selphie and Kairi are really nice. Riku is my best friend, and…" Sora continued to talk, telling Geni about the Destiny Islands. He went on and on, occasionally pausing to soak the cloth again in cold water. He was so busy informing the sleeping girl about his own life that he didn't even notice when King Mickey walked in. "Riku didn't even notice when the bird…"

"Sora?" Sora stopped, mid-sentence. "It's my turn for watch."

"Oh? It's seven am already?"

"Yup. Why don't you go and nap for an hour or two? I'm sure that Donald, Goofy, and Cid won't eat everything Merlin has in his cabinets."

"Okay. I just checked Geni's temperature a little while ago, and it was only 102 degrees. Does that mean her fever is breaking?"

"Probably. Tell Aerith when you see her; I'll still stay here with her until it breaks or she wakes up. She'll probably be as hungry as all three of them once she does," King Mickey said with a smile.

"Okay. See you later then." Sora walked out and closed the door. King Mickey walked softly to the door, hearing Sora's retreating footsteps and listening for anyone else. Hearing nothing, he grabbed the chair from the desk and set it next to the door, then walked towards an empty spot on the far side of the room. Cupping his hands and whispering as quietly as he possible could for a mouse, he said "You've got about a half and hour, an hour at the most before someone might come in. I'll stay by the door for privacy, but make it quick." He nodded to the thin air, and then took up his position next to the door.

Silently and stealthily, a dark portal appeared in the spot where King Mickey had spoken. A tall individual in a black cape similar to the king's stepped out, looking around the room. King Mickey turned and nodded to him, then resumed his original position. The being walked to the other side of the room and sat down on the stool next to Geni's bed. She was still sleeping, slightly wheezy but taking deep breaths, indicating she was in a deep sleep. The figure gently picked up her hand and held it between theirs. "It's been a while, shorty," it whispered quietly.


	9. Only In My Dreams

Chapter 8

The figure in black sat quietly for a while, listening to the drumming of the rain on the roof and Geni's labored breathing. Occasionally, he would touch Geni's hand, but otherwise just sat there. After a while, he cleared his throat quietly.

"You know, I was wondering the other day, what would happen now that Sora has woken up. As usual, he's charging in head first without much forethought, but that's what makes Sora himself, I suppose. Even though you two are twins, it's hard to see the resemblance between you." The individual chuckled. "Although, I'm glad to see you free. I know I couldn't help you directly, and I felt powerless in that fact. But you were the one who kept me strong; we both kept each other strong inside the darkness. At least one of us has found the light."

Leaning over slightly, he traced her arm gently, stroking it with care. Geni smiled a little in her sleep, moving her head to the side. The damp cloth from her forehead slid onto the pillow next to her. "Get well quickly; your friends are going to need you more than you know."

"It's that bad, huh?" King Mickey said softly, turning to face the being in black.

The figure in black turned toward the king and nodded. "The Organization is on the move throughout the worlds, causing chaos and destruction all the while reaping the hearts of anyone they conquer. Sora is the only one who can stop them, but he needs his heart to be at full power if he is going to take them on. That is why we need to make sure Geni gets better and stays that way, otherwise Sora will begin to doubt and worry, making his heart vulnerable. He has some tough battles on the way."

"I know; I was hoping that –" King Mickey paused, listening to the door. Soft footsteps came towards the door, getting louder every second. The being in black stood up quickly, but relaxed as the footsteps receded and were heard heading down the stairs. "Everyone is starting to wake up; you don't have much time left."

"I know." The person in black leaned over Geni, bringing their heads close. Whispering as quietly as they could, the person said, "Don't worry, we'll be seeing each other again soon enough. For now, rest and get better for when we finally meet. Until then, I'll see you there." The being touched his cool forehead to Geni's warm one, and then stood up straight. "Good luck; see you soon, I hope."

"You too – be careful." More footsteps were heard in the hallway, and King Mickey motioned for the person to get going.

"When aren't I?" With that said, the being stepped over into the open side of the room. They opened a dark portal, and with one final glance back, stepped through. King Mickey moved the chair back to the desk, then went and resumed his position on the stool. Moments after sitting down, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," King Mickey called.

Aerith walked in, carrying a tray of tea and some toast. "I thought you could use a little breakfast." She set the tray down on the nightstand and handed a steaming cup to the royal mouse.

"Mmm, thank you. Is everyone else awake?"

"Everyone except Sora, he's still sleeping. How's Geni?" Aerith walked over a placed a hand on her brow. "Good, she's even cooler than the last time I was here. Any problems?"

"No, she slept through the night peacefully. Her breathing is still a little labored, but it sounds much better. I'm sure she'll be waking up in the next few hours or so."

"Good. I'll just soak her cloth once more then head downstairs to conduct breakfast; Donald, Goofy, and Cid were arguing over who could eat the most pancakes when I left – I don't want to leave that alone for too long." Aerith smiled, picking up the warm cloth off of Geni's pillow, where it had fallen. She stepped out into the hallway and into the bathroom next door. King Mickey heard the water running as he sipped his tea.

_It's a good thing he left when he did; although it's too bad Geni wasn't awake to see him_. He reached over to the tray and snatched up a piece of toast as Aerith walked back in and placed the cool cloth on Geni's forehead.

"Well, I'll come back after breakfast and check on her. Call down if you need anything, okay?"

King Mickey nodded as he bit into the slice of buttered toast. Aerith turned and walked back out, this time leaving the door open. King Mickey could hear the clatter of dishes and bits and pieces of conversations from the table as everyone was eating.

As the sun was rising on Hollow Bastion, the sun was setting on a different world. An individual in black was munching on a bright green fruit, watching the last of the sun's rays disappear from the horizon. They stretched, tossing the core to a few fuzzy creatures nearby, where they proceeded to fight and play over it. Using the trunk of the tree as a pillow, the person fell into a peaceful slumber…

_A misty fog covered the entire area around them; they could barely see where they were walking. Lush jungle flora surrounded them, their bright colors muted by the twilight of the night. The person seemed to know where they were going, following a worn path in a familiar land. Soon, the ground became softer until it turned to sand; stepping out of the jungle, the person found a tranquil cove. The water, reflecting the twinkling light of millions of stars in the sky above, softly lapped against the shore. A small rocky overlook was home to a large tree whose roots were many, spreading out into the sandy dunes around it. A soft breeze played with their hood, whipping it softly around the hidden face. The person surveyed the area, and spotted a pair of foot prints leading towards the water. Walking slowly, they called out. "Geni? Are you here?" As the being walked toward the water, a lone figure came into view, ankle deep in the water. Whoever it was turned slowly; their skirt was shored up to their knees so as not to get it wet._

_"You're finally here…Riku…" Geni said, smiling._

_The individual in black stopped, and lifted his hood back, revealing a handsome young man with dark skin and silvery-white hair smiling at her. "Long time no see, huh?" Riku replied, his voice deep and rich. "You're looking well."_

_"Thanks to Sora, I feel better than I have in a while. I –" Suddenly, Geni lost her balance and pitched forward into the water. She landed on her knees, shaking slightly._

_Riku ran like lightening over to her. "You're not alright; you're still sick and need to rest." He helped her up, putting his arm under hers and across her back, so he half carried her over to the large-rooted tree. He helped her sit down gently, leaning her up against a large root._

_Geni sighed, closing her eyes, letting the tree support her. "Even here I can't escape it."_

_Riku sat down beside her, so their bodies touched slightly. "Don't worry, it will pass soon enough. I'm just glad you're free of the darkness that was controlling your heart." Riku placed his hand on the left side of his chest and closed his eyes, remembering his own darkness. He opened them, startled, when he felt another hand over his. Geni was looking deep into his fiery orange eyes, reflecting him in her ocean blue ones._

_She smiled. "It won't be long for you either; with Sora back in the fight, the darkness doesn't have long to rule." She squeezed Riku's hand slightly before turning back to rest against the tree. "So, what has been going on since we last talked?"_

_"Well, I was hoping you could answer some of those questions. The Organization is still out collecting as many hearts as they possibly can, but we can only guess at some of their intentions. Also, they seem to have some kind of interest in Sora. Do you remember anything you might have heard?"_

_Geni rubbed her temples, massaging them in slow circles. "I've been trying; however, it seems that most of my memories from when I was in the Organization have disappeared. I don't know if they left me when my heart did, or they were erased somehow by someone in the Organization. Either way, I'm not going to be much help." Geni paused, turning her head away from Riku. She whispered, "I guess I was never much help to anyone."_

_Riku turned harshly and grabbed her by her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Don't ever say that! You're not powerless, and you've helped more people than you know! Especially me." Geni's eyes were still downcast, not wanting to meet Riku's steely gaze. "Geni, look at me!"_

_Geni stood up abruptly, her back facing a surprised Riku. She turned her gaze slowly upwards, her eyes brimming with tears. "I had given in to the darkness, let it make me do and say horrible things! How am I going to face everyone?!" She pounded her fist against the tree trunk. She was shaking with rage, frustration, and hopelessness. Suddenly, she felt a hand placed upon her shoulder. Geni turned her head slowly; Riku had stood up and was only inches behind her._

_"Geni," he said, more of a command than a statement. She turned, tears running in silver streams down her face. Riku placed his hands upon her shaking shoulders. "Sora is your brother, and the rest of your adopted family and friends couldn't care less about what you did while you were under the Organization's control. Do you think they would have gone through all the trouble of finding you, and your battle with Sora, just so you could wallow in self pity? Give them some credit." Riku took his thumb and wiped away the tears on her right cheek, then her left. "Everything will be alright; you'll see."_

_Geni nodded, swallowing the rest of her tears. "Okay," she said softly._

_Riku nodded, then hesitantly, gave her a small hug. Geni stiffened a little, but relaxed and hugged him back. They stayed like that for a few moments, before a wave of pain washed over Geni once more._

_"Ah!" Geni cried, clutching her chest. Her knees buckled under her, and she sank to the ground with a thud._

_"Geni!" Riku cried, as he held onto her shaking body._

_"It's okay," she said, wincing in pain. "It looks like the last of the darkness is being purged from my body. I'm waking up."_

_"Wait! What about –"_

_"See you soon, Riku," Geni said as she smiled at him, and then faded out of sight. Riku's hands held onto the nothingness with force; a few moments passed until he smiled and stood up. "I guess I should get going too." Walking towards the jungle once more, he placed the black hood over his face, concealing his features from view as he disappeared into the night._

King Mickey had just finished his second cup of tea and the last of the toast when he heard a small groan. Dropping the teacup on the tray, he ran over to the bed. A pair of confused ocean blue eyes stared at him sleepily. "King Mickey?"

"Geni! Thank goodness, you're awake! How are you feeling; are you hurting anywhere?" Geni sat up slowly, bracing herself against the bed with her arms. She looked around the room slowly, her gaze coming to rest on King Mickey.

"Where are we?" Geni asked quietly.

"You're in one of Merlin's guest rooms, in Hollow Bastion. Everyone else is downstairs eating breakfast although it's about ten o'clock in the morning."

"Mmm-hmm," Geni replied, folding her hands in her lap. "Um, how is everyone?"

"Just fine," the king replied. Seeing her strange behavior, he asked, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all."

"Well then; I'm going down to get Aerith so she can check you over. Do you need anything?"

Geni stared at the wall next to the bed. "No, thank you, I'm fine."

"Okay, then; be back in a jiffy." He turned around, but looked back with a worried face. Geni was being quieter than her usual solemn self. He shook his head, and quickly headed out the door and down the stairs.

Cid, Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Merlin, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were sitting around Merlin's table, finishing off the last of the pancakes and discussing the best routes for the gummi ship to take to the next world. Yuffie and Cid had just begun clearing the table when King Mickey bounded down the stairs.

"Aerith!" he called out.

The conversation at the table died instantly. Aerith stood up, almost knocking her chair over. "What? What is it? Is something wrong?"

King Mickey came running over to the table. "No, no! Good news in fact!" He paused to catch his breath.

"Well, what's the matter then? Did Geni's fever finally break?" Leon assumed.

"Even better! She's awake!"

Eight faces broke out into huge smiles and cheers. Aerith said, "I'll go and check on her then. Goofy, could you make some more breakfast for her? And Yuffie, could you check on her clothes that we washed? – I think they're dry by now." Goofy and Yuffie nodded, and Aerith dashed off upstairs. The mood in the house lifted enormously; happiness replaced melancholy, reassurance replaced worry. Sora's smile was the biggest among all of them; he began to clear the table and help clean up immediately, chores he loathed to do back home. Everyone seemed in a good mood, except the apprehensive girl upstairs.

Geni heard King Mickey head down the stairs and the noise stop, before she heard even more commotion than before. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. _What will they think of me? I betrayed them all, just so they wouldn't have to baby sit me anymore. Now look at me; I haven't changed at all._ Geni looked up when she heard footsteps at the door. Aerith came walking in, a huge smile upon her face.

"Welcome back!" she said, heading toward her medical kit. "How are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy, but otherwise alright," Geni replied.

"Good. Open please." Aerith held the thermometer in her hands. Geni obediently opened her mouth and slid the thermometer under her tongue. "Are you hungry or thirsty? I'm having Goofy make some breakfast for you."

"Mmm mm-mmm," Geni mumbled through the cylinder in her mouth.

"Wait a moment," Aerith said. She took out the tube and read the numbers. "Only 99 degrees! Much better than before; still, take it easy – Dr. Ubito said you had a few bruised ribs from your fight with Sora."

At the mention of her brother's name, Geni fell silent, her hands clasped tightly. Aerith saw the reaction but pretended not to notice. "Also, Yuffie and I took the time to wash your clothes and fix a couple of ripped stitches. You won't be able to get some better clothes until we make a trip to the Disney Castle."

"Thank you," Geni replied faintly.

Aerith went and sat on the bed next to her friend. "Cheer up; no one is holding a grudge against you." Geni looked up in shock; Aerith had read her so easily. "King Mickey feels a little bad because he believed it was mostly his fault, but the others are just glad that you are back to your normal self again. So don't beat yourself up over needless worrying." Geni nodded, but didn't say anything. "Either way, how are you feeling walking wise?"

Aerith got off the bed while Geni pushed her legs to the side. Slipping them off and onto the floor, she stood up gingerly. She winced slightly, holding her side. "A little pain from my ribs, but overall I feel fine," she said to Aerith.

"Good. There's a washbasin over in the corner with some fresh towels and a hairbrush, and I'll go and get your clothes from Yuffie. Whenever you're ready, breakfast will be waiting for you."

"Thanks, Aerith," Geni said.

"No problem. And like I said, don't worry." Aerith smiled at Geni, then headed back out the door and closed it behind her. Geni walked over towards the basin sitting on a small table, with a small mirror propped up behind it. Looking at herself, Geni was shocked to see how much she had changed. She was a few inches taller and so was her hair, her eyes were a deeper blue in color, and she looked more mature as well. Taking the cloth, she began scrubbing away at herself, trying to rid her body as well as her mind of the darkness that had controlled her for the past year.

Scrubbing until her skin was pink; Geni then began the tedious task of combing out her hair. Her ponytail had become tangled and knotted, and it would take some work and gentle tugs to bring it back to its former state. Besides having the spiky hair that Sora had, making them look alike from the front, Geni had long hair in the back reaching down to her middle. Sitting on the stool, she began to undo the ponytail and comb her way through the mess. A quarter of the way through, she heard a loud knock at the door.

"Come in Yuffie," Geni said. Yuffie walked in with her old clothes in her arms.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Instinct," Geni said with a shrug.

"Hmmph. Anyway, here are your clothes, all nice and clean. See you downstairs!" Yuffie said as she gently placed the clean clothes on the bed and headed back out the door. Geni looked at her old clothes as she brushed her hair; they were the ones that she had been wearing the day she went with –

Suddenly, Geni's head felt like it was about to explode. She grabbed her temples, moaning quietly in pain so no one could hear her outside. As quickly as it had come, the pain receded; Geni let out a long breath, unclenching her eyes. _Not again – what was _that_ all about? Was it a part of the lost memories, or something to keep me from remembering?_ Within a moment, Geni was fine and continued the war with her hair, pondering what that small episode could mean.

In ten minutes, Geni had finished brushing and combing out her hair and re-braided it. She took off the nightgown she had been wearing, and began putting on her old clothes. Her skirt had been crisply pressed, and her shirt was soft against her skin. Even all of the mud caked on her sandals had been scrubbed off. Her arm bracers, made of long pieces of leather tied in the back had even been rubbed with leather protectant to make them more durable. After dressing, she paused. In the mirror, she was the exact same girl before she had been seduced by darkness, except for the slight height difference. _What was I expecting? I'll always be the same, no matter how hard I try._ She went and sat on the edge of the bed, dangling her feet off of the edge. She just couldn't bring herself to go downstairs and talk with everyone. They would ask questions, try to be nice to her, give her either sympathy or pity. The tears started flowing again, Geni quietly weeping.

Unbeknownst to Geni, Sora had finished cleaning and decided to go up and say hello. He walked the upstairs hallway several times, wondering what to say. _What is wrong with me! I've talked to her before…but then she was asleep and couldn't hear me. Come on, Sora, she's your sister! It's like talking to Riku and Kairi._ Sora gathered his courage, and headed towards the door. He was just about to knock when he heard strange noises coming from inside. He leaned closer and put his ear to the door; it sounded like a cross between someone hiccupping and mumbling. Quietly as he could, he turned the doorknob a little to see if it was unlocked. The noise from inside stopped immediately.

"Who's there?" a girl's voice called out.

"Geni? It's Sora; are you okay?" Sora heard light footsteps head towards the door. He backed away just as it was opened. The girl who stood before him was completely transformed from before; her clothes and herself were clean, as well as her hair – even though she had the same spikiness in front like Sora, the long braid down her back was neat without one hair out of place. The only thing that bothered Sora is that her face was a little red and puffy, like she had been crying. "Were, were you crying, or something?"

Geni turned away slightly. "No, what makes you think that? I'll be down in a moment or two, if that's what you want." Geni moved to close the door again; however a large black shoe prevented her from doing so.

"You're not okay," Sora said, pushing the door open. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, okay? Just leave me alone for a little bit," Geni said, facing the bed.

"Don't be so stubborn!" Now where had Sora heard that before? "If something is bothering you, maybe I can help!"

"No you can't!" Geni practically yelled back at him, facing him with her fists' clenched. "No one should!" She sat back down on the bed roughly, covering her face with her hands.

Sora stood there, bewildered by his sister's outburst. He first closed the door, then went over and sat next to her on the bed, but a little ways away. "Geni, what's the matter? You know, it might help if you talk about it, get some of that burden off of your shoulders."

Geni cried silently, her quivering shoulders the only indication of her misery. "You don't get it, do you, Sora? I let darkness take over and control me through my one weakness: that I wanted to be normal, like everyone else, people with a whole heart. Something that wouldn't hinder me and the people around me. I wanted to explore the stars, meet new people in new worlds like you, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are doing. No matter how hard I tried, I could never do anything I wanted to."

"You're wrong," Sora said. Geni looked at him quizzically. "I know exactly how you feel. You're always second best, while other people are far above you. You feel like you can never accomplish anything or make a difference. Anything you do accomplish is never enough, or someone does something even better leaving you in the shadows of their success. It was the way I always felt about Riku, until I realized something."

Geni had been quiet, listening to her brother's small speech. Although she started at the mention of Riku's name, Sora didn't notice the movement. As she wiped away the tears in her eyes, she asked, "What?"

"That it didn't matter."

"What are you talking about? You're saying that –"

"That everything I did, all of the contests and sparring and the jealousy I felt towards Riku meant nothing. As you know, our world was conquered and swallowed by the darkness; me, Riku, Kairi, our homes and families too. I joined up with Goofy and Donald and went from world to world searching for them. The petty anger and jealousy had disappeared and had been replaced with guilt and resolve. I finally realized that there was something more important than being the best at something: having people around you who care about you, no matter who you are or what level your abilities are. It's the same for you too, you know."

Geni sat in silence, drinking in Sora's heartfelt words. It was strange, but Geni felt like she could trust anything he said to her. She could trust _him_, even more so than her adopted family and some of her friends. The walls Geni had been building around her heart slowly crumbled; her tears started anew. Between the renewed small sobs, Sora faintly heard, "Really?"

"Of course." Sora could physically see Geni crumbling; she hid her face with her hands while she cried, her body shaking from the effort. Warily, Sora slowly put a hand on her shoulder. Geni flinched from the touch, but soon relaxed and the tears came all the harder. Sora and Geni sat there for a while, Geni crying and Sora holding and supporting her just with occasional squeezes to her shoulder. She emptied her mind, body, and soul of all the worries and pains that had been plaguing her for a long time.

After a while, Geni's crying slowed and her shaking stopped. She slowly sat up, her shoulders straight and eyes clear. Looking at Sora, she gave him a small smile; this one, however, was different from the others in the fact that it was genuine. Geni had yet again transformed herself, but this time, back to her old true self. A girl who was confident, intelligent, and nice to boot. "Thank you, Sora; I guess I needed that. I suppose I'll have to face them sooner or later, plus, I'm starving. Shall we let everyone in?"

"Huh?" Sora asked Geni quizzically, getting up off the bed.

Geni walked to the door, making sure her footsteps were inaudible. Grabbing the knob, she yanked open the door very quickly. In fell Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, Merlin, and Yuffie. Standing behind them, looking casual, were Cid, Aerith, and Leon.

Yuffie quickly got up on her feet, looking sheepish. "Well, we heard yelling, so we _had_ to come and investigate…"

"Sure, of course." Sora came and stood next to Geni and they shared a look between them.

"Whoa! Check out the wonder twins! If you two were wearing the same thing, I doubt we could tell you apart!" Goofy exclaimed as he got up. The rest of the group crowded around the teens, making Sora and Geni blush a light crimson as they were examined and compared.

Sora and Geni did a double take. "We do not look anything alike!" they both said at the same time, and then realizing they said the same thing at the same time crossed their arms in irritation.

"Um, Aerith, is there any breakfast left? I'm kind of hungry," Geni said, as her stomach chimed in with loud growls.

"Oh! Of course! You must be starving – come on, everybody, _move_." Aerith grabbed Geni's hand through the crowd and pulled her down the stairs. Geni turned and waved, slightly embarrassed.

Leon turned and stared at Sora. "So what was that all about?"

Sora smiled one of his goofy grins. "Oh, nothing. Just doing some catching up, that's all," he said, as he shoved his hands in his pockets and whistled as he walked down the stairs.

The group looked after him incredulously. Cid finally mumbled, "I don't know which one is more peculiar; the one with the spiky hair, or the one with the blue eyes." Most of them shrugged, or nodded, then followed Sora back downstairs.


	10. Onward Bound

Chapter 9

By the time the rest of the troop had headed downstairs, Aerith was busy setting a small stack of pancakes in front of Geni, with plenty of butter and syrup. Sora was sitting next to her, pouring himself yet another glass of orange juice. They were conversing as if nothing had happened, enjoying the moment and the company for all its worth.

"Delicious," Geni mumbled, between devouring piece after piece of pancake.

"Are you sure you're not just hungry?" Sora said, laughing.

"Mmm-mm," Geni said, giving him a sinister look. Even so, she slowed down slightly, pausing once and a while to drink some milk.

"I see your appetite hasn't diminished," Leon said with a smirk.

"My dear, it is good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?" Merlin said, taking up his usual chair.

"Better, to say the least. I see you all are doing well, despite the influx of Heartless and Dusks here in Hollow Bastion."

"Yes and no. Speaking of which –" Merlin was cut off by Aerith.

"More tea, Merlin?" as she poured him a steaming cup anyway. "Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy will be quite happy to see you. I bet Sora, Donald, and Goofy could give you a lift to the castle, considering it's not far from Hollow Bastion."

Geni didn't say anything, but continued to eat. Only Sora and King Mickey noticed the slight pause she took when Aerith mentioned her adopted home and family. "Yeah…sure." Geni took a long swallow of milk.

"Geni, I know it might be uncomfortable, but we really need to talk about –" Leon started.

"Leon, coffee?" Yuffie said, butting in.

"Stop that! I know it's hard, but we have to talk about this, damn it!" Cid yelled, banging his fist on the table. Yuffie and Aerith jumped slightly, and then guiltily sat down at the table. "Now, we all know this is a sore subject. However, _Geni_, we need to know if you have any information on the Heartless, Dusks, or Organization XIII. Since you had the most contact with them, and some control over them, it would be very helpful with the hordes we have camping just outside of the city walls to know if they are planning something." All eyes went from Cid to Geni. Slowly, she put down her fork, folded her hands, and closed her eyes.

"There's not much to tell unfortunately," she began slowly. "Ever since I woke up this morning, I have had this foggy feeling in my mind. Also, whenever I tried to remember anything from that time period, my head began to hurt and I was unable to recall any memories. I can remember glimpses of things: a gray castle, many individuals in black, a city of darkness, and a moon shaped like a heart. That's about it…sorry." She finished her small oration and stared down at her plate, watching a small pat of butter slide off the pancakes into a pool of syrup.

"Hmmph, well, that's not much help. Can't be helped, I suppose," Cid said. He stood up from the table. "Excuse me, but it seems like my work isn't finished yet. Call me when lunch is ready." He walked over and plopped himself down at his computer, quickly clacking away at the keys.

Geni quickly looked up from where she was sitting and watched Cid walk away. Her hands tightening, she quietly intoned "I'm sorry" once more.

"Don't be," Leon stated. "If you can't remember, you can't remember. You'll just have to work harder to help us get rid of those parasites."

Geni snapped her head up. "Really? You all still…want my help?"

"Of course; but don't overdo it. You're still a little weak, and those bruised ribs won't fully heal for another week or so. You can help all you want as long as you take better care of yourself and don't push yourself so hard," Aerith said. "Now, finish eating."

"Yes ma'am," Geni said with a small smile. She picked up her fork and resumed eating.

Sora could only smile in return between the exchange of words among some of his closest friends. Watching Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Donald, Goofy, and Geni converse, he felt a tightening in his chest. He chugged down the rest of his orange juice, and then motioned to Donald and Goofy. "We had better go check up on the gummi ship, and then prepare to get underway again."

Donald nodded. "I'll go refuel the ship and do an overall diagnostic. It won't take more than two hours."

Goofy chimed in. "I'll re-supply the potions, ethers, and food stock from the market. I hope they have those canned rutabagas I like on sale!"

Sora and Donald could only groan. Goofy had the strangest sense of taste and what supposedly tastes good. As Donald and Goofy got up and headed their separate ways, Sora turned to his sister.

"Hey, Geni. Did you want a quick ride to the Disney Castle as long as we are heading in the general direction?"

Geni had just finished the last bite of her pancakes. "I suppose; these clothes aren't that old, but I'll need more than this. I also need to have a long talk with Queen Minnie, which I'm not looking forward to, as well as gather things from my room while I'm there. Is King Mickey coming along as well?"

"No," Merlin said blatantly.

"Why not?"

"Because he already left." Merlin gestured to the empty seat next to him. The chair next to Merlin was slightly pushed out, indicating its occupant had left quietly and wanted little notice of it.

"When did he –? Never mind, he's probably spent too much time here already. I guess it is just the four of us then. Excuse me." Geni got up from the table and took her dishes over to the sink and rinsed them out. "I'm going out to stretch my legs before we leave. I always get cramps when I ride in the gummi ships."

Sora got up quickly. "I'll go with you." Geni nodded, and then the twins headed out the door. The residents of Hollow Bastion could only smile at the young pair. It seems the twins completed each other; one coming from the darkness and the other coming from the light to help and balance each other. Seriousness and playfulness, sadness and happiness, knowledge and ignorance; Geni and Sora were definitely half of each other.

Walking out into the bright morning sun, Geni covered her eyes and looked up. The sky was so blue, with nary a cloud in sight; the sun was shining down on a busy morning in Hollow Bastion. Sighing happily, she turned and motioned for Sora to follow her. The twins walked in silence for a while, until Sora interceded.

"Anything look familiar?"

Geni nodded, her hands folded behind her back, taking in the sights. "Mmm, it's strange; Hollow Bastion never seems to change, no matter how long I leave it. The last time I was here was about a year ago, just before I was deceived by the Organization. I was helping Merlin strengthen the town's defense system with Cid using a new random physical apparition spell. It was spring, and the hills above the town were in full bloom. The last of the residents that had been scattered due to the darkness had just returned and the town was returning to normal. The bailey had just been finished, and the archeological digs around the old castle had begun. It seemed like Hollow Bastion would finally be seeing an era of peace with the Heartless gone; we were only keeping up the defense systems just in case – and I'm glad we did. Two months after my visit the Heartless and Dusks started showing up in droves once again."

"That must have been sometime between when we closed the door to Darkness –" Sora sighed at this "– and when Donald, Goofy, and I woke up in Twilight Town in the basement of that old mansion. I wonder, was it the Organization's doing?"

Geni nodded. "Most likely. I remember just before I was placed under the spell that King Mickey was worried about their rise to power." Geni shook her head. "Not only beings without hearts, but beings with no bodies that don't even exist – although we can see them plain as day. What are we going to do, Sora?"

"I don't know," Sora replied, scratching his head. "We need more information so I can finish this quest and find Riku, so all of us can go back home to the Destiny Islands where Kairi is waiting for us."

Geni stopped. Sora walked a few more paces before turning around. "What is it?"

"Do you really mean that?" she said quietly.

Sora walked back and placed his hands on her shoulders. "_Every_ word of it. I promise you that no matter what, Riku, you, and I will all go back to the Destiny Islands together."

"I'll hold you to that," Geni said, cocking her head to the side and giving Sora a smile.

Smiling in return, Sora turned and the two continued walking together. Not really noticing where they were walking, Sora and Geni ended up on a hill overlooking the main part of Hollow Bastion, mostly the market and town square. The noontime sun glinted off the city, making it sparkle like a jewel.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Geni murmured.

"It is," Sora replied. "I've never seen it from so high up. But, of course, the last time I was here there wasn't really a city. Only the old castle where Maleficent lived when she tried to open the door to the darkness."

"Old hag," Geni muttered. "She's been up to no good for as long as I can remember. She was the one who corrupted Hollow Bastion in the first place; much of Hollow Bastion disappeared when the darkness came the first time, and declined over the years until almost nothing was left. That's why everyone was living in Traverse Town when you first met them. Actually, her home world isn't Hollow Bastion."

"Really?" Sora said incredulously. "Where is she from then?"

"She comes from the world of Princess Aurora, otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent was one of the most powerful evil sorceress' to ever live; with the help of Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather Prince Phillip was able to slay her, but only for a time. The darkness gave her the power to rise again, and so you battled her at Hollow Bastion. The last I heard the three faeries were staying with Master Yen Sid."

Sora laughed. "What's so funny?" Geni asked.

"Just remembering; those three can't agree on anything."

"Have you met them?"

"Of course; they are the faeries that gave me these new clothes. I had outgrown my old ones by several inches. However, it seems like you have the same predicament that I did," Sora said, pointing at Geni's exposed ankles and slightly too-tight shirt.

"Oh, this? I hadn't noticed. One moment." Geni closed her eyes and mumbled a few inaudible words, stretching her hand out in front of her. A blue glowing sphere appeared in her hand, which after opening her eyes she placed against her stomach. The soft blue light enveloped only her clothes, and when it had dissipated her skirt was the normal length and her shirt fit properly once more.

Sora's eyes boggled. "That…was…amazing! How did you do that? Could you teach me?"

Geni laughed. "Of course. It was only a simple spell, one of the most basic ones. I just took the existing fabric and made it weave more of itself into the original clothes to lengthen the skirt and stretch the shirt. Can't you perform magic like that?"

Sora shook his head with a slight embarrassment. "No, my magic is really only good in battle; fighting and summoning, stuff like that. Everything I know I learned from Merlin."

Geni nodded. "Well, I could definitely teach you. You have the talent for it, apparently, or Merlin would have taught you nothing. He's good at seeing the potential in people." Geni and Sora sat down on the warm grass and surveyed the scene before them. "I'm quite advanced in all the magical forms, but my specialties are battle, healing, transformation, and communicative spells."

Sora stretched his arms and legs out and proceeded to lie down on the warm grass, hands crossed behind his head. "I didn't know magic could be used like that." Sora closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the midday sun. Geni sat beside him, her knees bent to her chest and her arms crossed around them. She stared at a fluffy white cloud overhead for a while, then said, "Hey Sora, watch this."

Sora opened an eye; Geni waved her hand towards the fluffy cloud and it instantly changed from a shapeless pillow in the sky to an oddly shaped ball with two lines coming off the side like a V. "Guess who?"

Sora squinted, and then realization dawned on him. "Ha ha! That's Donald's loud beak, if I'm not mistaken." The twins laughed, and Geni changed the cloud into Goofy, King Mickey, and Pluto until Sora was clutching his sides from laughing too hard. "Stop, stop! I can't take anymore of this!"

Geni smiled, returning the poor cloud to normal and sending it on its way. Sora collapsed back onto the ground, a huge wide smile plastered across his face. His cheerfulness was rubbing off on her – she couldn't help but grin at his silliness. Sora lay still for a while, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Geni felt calm, more relaxed than she had in a long time. "Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you tell me about the Destiny Islands?"

Sora smiled, his eyes still closed. "Of course. There are several islands that make it up, with most of the people living on the largest one. That's were Riku, Kairi, and I live. We only live about fifty miles from the mainland, so the ferry usually runs from us to the mainland once a day. There are no really large buildings, besides the school – it's a kindergarten through twelfth grade, the hospital, city hall, and the marketplace where all the major stores are.

It's beautiful, though; there are palm trees everywhere, and the sand at the beach is as soft as silk on your feet. The breeze is always light, and you can smell the paopu fruit wherever you go. There are several large hills that dot all of the islands; some people say they are extinct volcanoes from when the islands were first formed. My favorite place, where Riku, Kairi, and I always played was a small island just off of the shore closest to our homes. The adults built a small hut, a deck, and several platforms so all the children could play there. We rowed out there almost everyday when school was out, and watched the sunset from on top of the hill. In the summer we were there all the time, and once in a while we stayed overnight to have a bonfire."

In Geni's mind, the islands came alive. She could see herself at the beach, a brilliant sunset in the distance. The breeze played with her hair, gently caressing her check. A fruity and salty smell filled her nose, and she inhaled deeply. She could feel a sense of belonging to this place, and it welled up in her until it burst forth.

Opening her eyes, Geni began low and slow at first. Sora paused, staring at his sister. Geni's eyes were closed, but the melody leaving her mouth was so magnificent. It rose and rose until he could see the waves of the melody; the song _was_ Destiny Islands manifested. There were no words, but the melody soared like the gulls, rose and fell like the waves, and blew softly like the wind. Sora could only stare in wonder at the sound his sister was producing with her vocal chords. The song began like a sunrise, and ended like a sunset fading into the twilight. When she was finished, Geni opened her eyes, a solitary tear streaking down her cheek.

Sora sat up slowly, never taking his eyes off of his sister. "That…was…amazing," Sora said haltingly. Geni wiped away the lone tear and smiled.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was on the spur of the moment, but overall the quality was quite good," Geni said.

"Where did you learn to sing like that?"

Geni looked down, a sad smile on her face. "From a great and wonderful teacher, a long time ago."

Unbeknownst to the conversing twins, an individual in black watched them closely from a distance. "It seems she has recovered quite quickly, but we cannot allow her to aid the Keybearer anymore than she already has. She will lead him to the truth, and we need him to keep slaying Heartless for us." Snapping their fingers, a company of Heartless and Dusks appeared before them. Stretching out their hand towards the duo, the Heartless and Dusks quietly approached their prey from behind.

Suddenly Geni stopped mid-sentence, furrowing her eyebrows. Jumping up, she scanned the area around them and spotted the company of Heartless and Dusks coming towards them, not one hundred yards away. "Sora! We've got company!"

Sora jumped and followed his sister's eyes. "Oh great! And I was hoping to finish my nap!" Sora released his Keyblade from his being, readying himself to attack.

"Sorry Sora, naptime's over! Besides, it's almost time to go and I needed some exercise before we left." Sora turned to his sister just in time to see her stretch her hand out in front of her. "Utahime songuraita!" The black staff that Geni had used in her fights against Sora appeared in her hand, but this time its appearance was altered. It was still black, but not so dark and evil; it was more of a hematite black which merrily reflected the sunlight. Also, strange runes were etched into it at each end, circling the staff like a vine. Grasping it tightly, Sora and Geni looked at each other, then leapt with a shout towards the onslaught of Heartless and Dusks.

Sora was slicing and dicing left and right, thrusting and dodging, occasionally using elemental spells to rid himself of a few foes at one time. However, during a short pause, he happened to turn and was amazed at the battle prowess of his sister. Like an elegant dance, she swung and thrust her staff with deadly accuracy. She leapt about like a graceful dancer, confusing the Dusks and attacking them from behind, their weak spot. At one point she began to spin her staff so fast above her head it became a blur, and power began to spark off of it. The spinning created a lightning-like power, striking at all of the enemies closest to her. She jumped up, still spinning the staff, and then slammed it into the ground, creating a giant wave of energy that obliterated at least thirty or more Heartless and Dusks around her. After a few more minutes of fighting each, all of the Heartless and Dusks were gone.

Sora panted happily. Over one hundred Heartless and Dusks and it took them less than six minutes to destroy them all. "Hey Geni –" Sora began, but stopped as he looked over at his sister. She was on her knees, one hand grasping her staff for support and the other clutching her side. Sora ran over to her, kneeling down and placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey! Are you alright?"

Geni was breathing heavily, but turned towards Sora with a large smile on her face. "I'm…fine. I haven't…had that much…of a workout…in a while." She winced slightly. "Also, my ribs…are still healing…but it only…hurts a little bit."

Sora frowned in worry. Even having bruised ribs, she seemed too weary. He was finally seeing firsthand just how hard it was for his sister to live with only half of a heart. It was only a short battle where Sora had barely lost any energy, whereas his sister was quite spent already just from those few minutes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Geni gingerly stood up, leaning on her staff for support. "Mm-hmm. I'll be fine in a few minutes, don't worry." She gave Sora a large smile, and her breathing was already returning back to normal.

Sora nodded, smiling back, but inside he was still worried. _Now I know why King Mickey did what he did; even though he knew Geni would resent his decision, he knew she couldn't come along. Otherwise, she might end up worse than she already is – especially if they happened to run into prolonged battles._ "Well, let's head back then. I'm sure a nice slow walk will help." The twins headed back down the hill and towards the city, the mysterious person in black still watching them, an evil and maniacal grin on their face.

By the time the two got back to Merlin's house, Donald and Goofy were waiting for them. The gummi ship was sitting with its hatch open, waiting for liftoff. "'Bout time you two got back! We've been waiting to take off!" Goofy exclaimed.

"Sorry, just seeing some of the sights," Sora said.

"Well, it's time to stop sight-seeing and time to start flying! We still have plenty of stops to make!" Donald lectured.

"Okay, okay! I get the hint. I have to go say goodbye to everyone first though," Geni said as she walked into Merlin's house. She stopped at the doorway, her hand on the frame. Sora, Donald, and Goofy came up behind her. "What's the hold –" Merlin, Cid, Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie were all standing there.

Merlin was the first to speak. "My dear, it was so wonderful to see you again. You had better visit soon, otherwise my magical arguments that I've formulated will go to waste on these un-magical people."

"I've installed a new seat on the gummi ship that is slightly more padded, so you won't be so uncomfortable on those long trips," Cid added, doing his trademark of wiping his thumb across his nose.

Aerith stepped forward. "Come visit as soon as the routes between the worlds' are safe again, okay? And here." Aerith handed Geni a small package. "This is some medicine I've been working on with Dr. Ubito that is infused with herbs for extra energy and stamina."

"I…I…don't know what to say," Geni said, her eyes glistening.

"How about 'thank you' or 'I'll be back soon'?" Yuffie said, bouncing around Geni.

Leon came forward and placed a firm hand on Geni's shoulder. "Be careful out there, and take care of those dense friends and family of yours, okay?"

Geni nodded, looking around at all of her family and friends. Even though one lonely tear trickled down her cheek, she said "Thank you all, so very much. I can't express how much all of this means to me, considering the trouble you had to put up with through me. We will all be back to visit very soon. Thank you, my friends." Geni held the package tightly to her chest, and bowed deeply to the people she cared about the most.

After a long pause, Sora decided to interrupt. "Time to go," he said to no one in particular.

Geni turned around and nodded to them. Waving goodbye, Sora, Geni, Donald, and Goofy boarded the gummi ship that had been parked outside of Merlin's house. Strapping themselves in with Donald at the controls, he started the engines and secondary rockets underneath the ship. They slowly began hovering in the air above the street until they were far enough away to ignite the primary rockets. Everyone came out to wave as the ship blasted off and flew into the sky, towards worlds unknown.

Aerith whispered quietly as the ship disappeared, "Take care, little sister. And keep her safe and sound, Sora."


	11. Home At Last

Chapter 10

While flying through space and trying to avoid the few Heartless they happened to meet, Geni pondered on the fate that awaited her at Disney Castle. All she could think of was the horrible argument she had had with Queen Minnie just before she left with _him_. She had said some pretty terrible things, and many that she didn't really mean…

_'But Queen Minnie!'_

_'No buts! I want you to stay inside today and rest. Yesterday's training session with Leon really took a lot out of you, and I don't want you getting sick. Now please finish putting away these bowls and find something quiet and relaxing to do.' Queen Minnie sighed, placing several odd looking instruments back in a drawer. They had been cleaning up one of the various laboratories in the castle, and King Mickey (like always) had not thoroughly cleaned up afterwards when he had finished._

_'But I feel fine! I'm not tired, I have plenty of energy, and there is still a plethora of work that needs to be done if I want to complete the latest spell Master Yen Sid assigned me!' The bowls clinked gently together as she put them away. Geni scowled and mentally smashed each and every one of them. So what if she was 14, she could still act childish where no one could see._

_'I said that is enough! If you are going to insist on arguing with me about it, then stay in your room all day with no dinner!'_

_Geni whipped around to face the small monarch. 'No I won't!'_

_'Young lady, watch that tone of yours,' Queen Minnie said, her eyes narrowing as she looked up into the angry face of her foster daughter._

_'No! You can't force me to do anything; this isn't even my real home! You can't tell me what to do – you're not even my _real_ mother!' And as soon as the words left her mouth, Geni regretted them immediately. Queen Minnie looked like she had been slapped; she backed up a little and slowly turned around._

_Geni tried to say something, reaching her arm out towards Queen Minnie, but her strength failed her. Gathering up her skirt she raced as fast as she could out of the room, twisting and turning through the many corridors of the castle. She almost ran into several of the castle workers, even Lady Daisy tried calling after her as she raced past. Within a few minutes, Geni was outside of the castle, but still running as fast as she could to escape her malicious words. Finding herself in one of her favorite meadows not too far from the castle, she collapsed onto her knees amidst her favorite flowers._

Shaking her head at her immaturity, she still had to wonder. Queen Minnie _still_ had come after her with Lady Daisy, even though what she had said and done should have earned her more than a year long sentence within Organization XIII with no free will of her own.

While Donald and Goofy had been discussing their latest game of "who can destroy more Heartless with the gummi turrets," Sora had been quietly studying one of the old maps they had made before the worlds had returned to their original states. They had encountered Traverse Town, the Coliseum, Wonderland, the Deep Jungle, Agrabah, Atlantica, Neverland, Halloween Town, the giant whale Monstro, Hollow Bastion, and of course the End of All Worlds. Well, they already had found Twilight Town and Hollow Bastion, and thanks to directions from Cid and Merlin they were on their way to the Disney Castle. Sora was wondering if they would meet up with any of their other old friends at all. He turned to ask Geni if she had any current knowledge of the state all of the worlds' were in when he noticed her sour expression.

"What are you thinking about?" Sora asked.

Geni snapped out of her musings, realizing Sora had caught her with her mind in a time warp. "Oh, nothing really. Just thinking of the last time I was…home. Queen Minnie and I were having a stupid argument, and childishly I ran away. That was why I was alone when the person from the Organization found me."

Sora nodded, remembering his conversation with King Mickey before he had released Geni from said spell. "But wait. King Mickey said Queen Minnie and someone else had come after you."

"Yes, she and Lady Daisy." She whispered the next part: "Of course, if you didn't know, she's Donald's _girlfriend_." Geni accentuated the last word, making it sound even more feminine and batting her eyelashes coyly at the same time.

"I heard that!" Donald yelled from front seat. He didn't turn around, but Sora and Geni could see that his feathers were bright red. The both snickered until Goofy reminded Sora of how much he wanted to see Kairi again, and then there were two redheads in the cockpit. Geni laughed so hard she probably would have fallen out of her seat had she not been strapped in.

"Cut it out!" Sora protested, his ears shining like a beacon. "I bet there's someone you really like – what's _his_ name?"

Geni stopped laughing, and smiled at Sora. "Well…"

"Come on! Spit it out; you've had your fun and now it's our turn."

"Yeah, come on Geni. Who's this mystery guy?" Donald inquired mischievously.

"You don't know who it is?" Sora asked.

"Nope, we would have known if it was anyone in or around the castle," Goofy replied. "Some handsome feller in Hollow Bastion?"

"No."

"Then who is it?" three impatient voices asked.

"I'm not telling. And besides, he's just…a good friend, nothing more."

"_Sure_ he is," Sora drawled, as if not believing her.

"Think what you want Sora. When your IQ reaches your shoe size, I'll tell you his name." Sora involuntarily shot his gaze downward to his shoes, which at the moment looked quite large compared to Geni's more dainty feet. "Oh my gosh Sora; you actually looked?!" Geni started laughing uncontrollably all over again, clutching her sides for support. Sora tried to look hurt, but with Geni laughing so hard he ended up joining her.

"Okay, okay. Enough of the giggle fest back there. Were arriving at Disney Castle in five minutes, so prepare for landing," Donald intervened. Geni suddenly stopped laughing and began looking very nervous.

"Already? Are you sure?"

"Yes, according to the ship's navigation gummi. Hey look! There it is – home at last!" Donald pointed out the forward window; in the distance and growing larger every second was a pretty blue, brown, and green world that sparkled in the dark of the universe. Guiding the gummi ship with years of practice, Donald flew through the bumpy outer atmosphere until they began to see signs of civilization. Small towns dotted the landscape, with large farming communities surrounding them. After a few minutes, a large white castle with blue turrets came into sight surrounded by lush fields of flowers; behind it a sparkling blue bay lead into the sea.

"Wow," Sora exclaimed, staring out the portside window. "I didn't know the Disney Kingdom was so thriving!"

"Well, maybe Geni can give you a tour once we've landed and sorted everything out. Right now, we need to send in our landing confirmation. How's that coming Goofy?"

"Almost done Donald." While Donald, Geni, and Sora had been talking, Goofy had been conversing through the radio with Chip and Dale. Even though most of it sounded like high pitch squeaking, Goofy was able to communicate with them just fine. "They'll be opening the southern hatch on the far side of the castle for us."

"Good, that side has a bathroom on the platform; I already have to make a pit stop. Sora, Geni, make sure you're strapped in – we're about to land in the hanger." The twins nodded and double-checked their seatbelts, bracing for the landing. But, as usual, Donald's skills with the gummi proved very reliable when all that was felt was a slight _bump_, and they were in the hanger, engines shutting down and cooling.

"Alright, everybody out! Make way!" Donald quickly unbuckled himself and practically shoved the cockpit door open, racing towards a small door in the side of the hanger. The door slammed, leaving Geni, Sora, and Goofy to unpack the gummi. The hanger was filled with all kinds of machinery for building, repairing, and launching gummies; they were lucky enough that their platform was large enough to hold at least three gummies comfortably.

"Must be nice to be home, huh? Donald always has excuses for not helping to unpack," Sora grumbled as he helped Geni haul boxes out of the gummi. Of course, he tried to take many of the larger ones so Geni could take the smaller boxes. Goofy took inventory as they unloaded, seeing what they would need for when they left.

"Don't worry, fellers', we're almost done. Then it's time for a late lunch!" Sora's stomach rumbled loudly in agreement, and Geni laughed as she headed back into the gummi. Suddenly, the group heard the clanking of feet. Turning around, they saw a guard in shiny metal armor running towards them.

"Hey everyone! Welcome back!" The guard came up and stood next to Goofy. "Hey pop."

"Maxie! Good to see you! My, how you've grown since I've been away," Goofy became teary eyed, giving his son a large bear hug.

"Dad! Can't…breathe."

"Oops! Sorry," Goofy said, letting go.

"So…this is Max, I presume?" Sora said, feeling slightly left out of the warm welcome.

"Oops again! Max, this is Sora. Sora, my son Max." The two teens shook hands.

"Oh, one moment." Max took off his helmet, showing off a striking resemblance to his father. Same long ears, same elongated nose, two large buck teeth in front. He looked at Sora quizzically before continuing. "Much better. So where's Donald?"

"I'm back!" Donald came strolling over from the restroom, a clear flushing noise in the background. "How are you, Max?"

"Good, but everyone has been worried about you. Dad – you, Donald, and King Mickey haven't kept in contact with the castle like you were supposed to. Queen Minnie –" Just then, Max paused, letting his jaw drop.

"Queen Minnie what, Max? Max?" Goofy gave his son a questioning look, and then followed his gaze toward the gummi ship. Geni had just stepped out, but a large box had been hiding her face until she set it down.

"Lady…lady…lady Geni?!" Max stumbled. He slowly walked over to her.

"Hi Max, nice to see you again," Geni said, smiling. Max stared for a moment, before a large smile almost cracked his face in two.

"Lady Geni! It _is_ you! I have to go tell – they'll be happy to see you – you are in a _lot_ of trouble." Max tried to start a few sentences, before he clamped his mouth shut and ran up the side stairs. "See you later, dad!" Donald, Goofy, and Sora watched Geni for a reaction.

"I _was_ hoping to let everyone know I was back myself, but I suppose this is better. Max is a talker, so the whole castle will know within the hour. Oh well, back to unpacking." With that, Geni headed back into the gummi ship.

"She took that quite…well," Donald said while raising his eyebrow.

"I'll go help her," Sora volunteered quickly, heading back for the gummi ship. Geni wasn't in the cockpit or the first storage room, which was empty except for a few very small items. Sora continued on, climbing down a ladder into the hold where Geni was arranging boxes.

"Geni?"

"Almost done, Sora; just a few more boxes to go." Geni still had her back to Sora while she spoke. However, she was arranging several of the same boxes in various positions. Sora walked up behind her and put a firm hold onto her shoulders, turning her around to face him. Her hands were shaking slightly.

"Geni? It's okay to be nervous, you know."

"I know. I was just…"

"I understand. Don't worry; I'm sure Queen Minnie will more happy than angry to see you."

"I know. It's been so long, and I said horrible things to her the last time I saw her. And then running off to join Organization XIII…"

"You were tricked into joining, remember? Don't worry, okay? Everything will be fine; I'm sure of it." Sora hesitated a moment, then gave his sister a quick bear hug. He held it for a moment until Geni, also hesitantly, hugged him back. They were quickly learning what it meant to be brother and sister as well as twins – becoming a large part of each other's life. "Well, let's get going. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can trash your room!" With a laugh, Sora ran towards the ladder.

"SORA!" Turning red, Geni ran after him and up the ladder. By the time they had reached the door, Geni was out of breath and Sora was doing a victory dance claiming full rights to demolish her room. Donald and Goofy were waiting for them, and enjoying Sora looking like a clown.

"Are you two ready or not?" Donald asked, looking impatient. "We should get upstairs and report to Queen Minnie."

"Alright, alright, we're coming," Geni said as she began walking towards them. "I'll let you guys lead the way."

"Okay." Donald, Goofy, Geni, and Sora ascended the same staircase Max had used. After two flights of stairs, the group opened a door which led into a garden full of ornate topiaries. Two people were milling around the entranceway, affirming that Max had already been hard at work.

"Lady Geni!" they shouted. A slim cow and a robust chicken ran up to greet them as a broom brigade marched by.

"Madame Mouvelle, Mrs. Roosterville, how do you do?" asked Goofy, tipping his hat towards the ladies.

"Oh Goofy, Donald, how glad we are to see you! And especially Lady Geni too!" The women crowded around Geni, fussing over her and acting motherly. Geni took their prodding, poking, and pulling with a strained face.

Donald was the first to intervene. "Um, excuse us ladies, but we must go meet with Queen Minnie. We have…uh…_important_ information to give her straightaway. If you'll excuse us?"

"Of course, of course," Mrs. Cluck said pluckily. "We'll talk with you later, dearie."

As the two ladies left, Geni let out a loud sigh. "Thanks; those two are quite a handful." As she straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes, a young maid came up to the group.

"Lady Geni, Court Wizard Donald, Captain of the Guard Goofy, and Keyblade Master Sora, please follow me to the Audience Chamber where Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy are awaiting you." She bowed to them and turned, walking towards a side door in the garden. The four quickly fell in step behind her.

"Well, that was quick," said Sora.

"There isn't anything in this castle that can escape Queen Minnie's knowledge; trust me – I once tried to raise a baby dragon in my room," Geni said.

Sora gave Geni a raised eyebrow that could have reached the sky. "And how did you, by chance, get a baby dragon?"

Geni shrugged. "It happened to be a wrong delivery. We had ordered a crystallized Hagen egg and they accidentally sent us one dragon egg instead. Crystallized Hagen eggs are good for replacing and repairing crystal balls. Unfortunately, Queen Minnie made me release it into a dragon sanctuary on one of the nearby worlds. I wonder how Talyn is doing these days."

"I wouldn't mention that too loudly, considering she almost burned down the whole castle!" Goofy added.

Geni grinned sheepishly. "What did you expect from a teething hatchling?"

Sora smacked his forehead. So his sister _did_ have his knack for getting into trouble while helping people…well, dragons. Examining his surroundings, Sora noted the exceptionally clean castle. It seems most of it was built out of a white marble, with tapestries hung everywhere. The hallway they were currently in led to a pair of humungous purple doors, at which their guide stopped.

"Here we are," she said. Turning to the group, she bowed again. "Her majesty and Lady Daisy are waiting for you inside."

"Thank you, Mita," Geni said, bowing back. The maid looked up in surprise.

"You…you remember my name? But I only joined the staff…"

"Yes, a few days before my departure. I remember you brought me my afternoon tea the day before that, correct?"

"Yes, I did miss! Thank you for remembering! I'll…I'll see that a lunch is prepared for all of you right now!" The maid smiled back, and then dashed off down the hallway.

"Have you got a photographic memory?" Sora asked.

"Something like that." Geni smiled, and then turned to the large doorway. Pushing against a corner of one of the large doors, a smaller door opened up into the Audience Chamber. "Here we go."

The Audience Chamber was vast, the marble stone everywhere. Large columns lined the walls, while an elegant red carpet runner ran from the giant doors to a pair of thrones. Behind the thrones were statues of previous rulers, along with a tapestry with King Mickey's insignia. The four began the long trek to the thrones, seeing that two people awaited them at their destination.

The thrones were magnificent; both were gold in color with high backs and curled armrests. The royal insignia was placed atop of both, giving the thrones a look of innocence and authority at the same time. Standing next to the right throne was a female duck dressed in a purple gown with beads down the front and a small tiara upon her head. Her feathered hands were crossed in front of her, giving her an anxious look. However, to completely differentiate from her, was a female mouse sitting on the right throne. She was wearing a regal dress of white and pink draped flowers, and wore a golden crown upon her head betwixt her large black ears. However, her face was hard, eying the group walking down the aisle with a sense of derision.

Reaching the throne, Goofy and Donald immediately bent down to kneel, while Geni gave a low curtsy to sit on her knees. Sora looked around, unsure of what to do, finally opting to follow Donald and Goofy's choice of action. Kneeling in respect, all four waited for Queen Minnie to speak.

After a moment of silence, Queen Minnie stood up from her throne. "Goofy, Donald, it is good to see you home again. I trust your journey has been going well?"

"Yes, your majesty," Goofy replied, looking up. "Sorry for not keeping in touch. Ya see, we were sleeping for a while at a place called Twilight Town. We've only been back on the road a few days."

"I see; thank you for contacting the castle so quickly then."

"Queen Minnie, have you heard anything from King Mickey about his travel destinations? We recently saw him at Hollow Bastion for a short while, and then he left again without saying goodbye." Donald looked up expectantly.

"The king's letters have kept me informed of part of the situation with Organization XIII, the Nobodies, and the Heartless. However, each letter has come from a different world, and he never says where he will be next just in case the Organization happens to intercept them."

"Makes sense," Sora added.

"You must be Sora, the Keybearer. Welcome to Disney Castle. I thank you for your exceptional efforts in your last quest, and now your current one." Queen Minnie paused, her gaze resting upon the last of the four whom she had yet to speak to. "Lady Genevieve Keilanyi Astraea, come forward."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy moved out of the way so Geni could slowly step forward. Curtsying low once again, Geni waited for the shouting to begin.

"For verbally disrespecting me, disobeying a direct order, running off on your own, causing several small accidents in the process, joining Organization XIII, and causing willful destruction to other inhabitants and their worlds…" Geni flinched at each charge, waiting for her punishment with her head bowed low. The silence and anticipation were so thick that it could have been cut with a knife. Suddenly, a whoosh of skirts was followed by gripping hug. Geni's eyes shot open wide with surprise and looked down at the tiny monarch. "Welcome home," Queen Minnie said with a smile.

"Queen Minnie…I'm so sorry," Geni said, her eyes filling with tears. She hugged her foster mother back, crying and apologizing (several times over) all at once.

Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Sora let out a breath most of them didn't realize they had been holding. Queen Minnie continued to comfort Geni, letting her use her own handkerchief. "There now, everything will be alright." She dotted Geni's eyes, smiling at her. Geni smiled back, only a few tears leaking from her still moist eyes.

"Queen Minnie…"Geni began. Queen Minnie held up her hand, stopping her from continuing.

"I was never really angry with you," she began.

"But I said…"

"You spoke things that were true, yes, but also things that were said because of anger and frustration. At first I was a little shocked, but after thinking it over I realized why you said them in the first place. I forget sometimes how hard it is when everyone treats you like you're helpless – when in reality you're not. About ten minutes after you ran out, I began searching the castle. Soon I found the path you had used to exit the castle – following the people you had bumped into. I eventually found Lady Daisy, who told me that you had gone outside of the castle walls. We both ran as fast as we could, but by the time we reached you…"

"It was too late," Lady Daisy finished. "You know, you really had Queen Minnie in a fright. Even if she isn't your real mother, she sure is a great surrogate one."

"I know," Geni said with a smile.

Queen Minnie stood up and held out her hand. "Rise, Lady Geni." Geni grasped the small hand and stood up to her full height. "By the royal authority of King Mickey and myself, you are absolved of all grievances against you. Don't worry about this matter henceforth, because it will be forgotten. Now, I assume you all have not had lunch yet?"

"Your assumption is right, as always. We left Hollow Bastion a little after noon, so we haven't had anything to eat since earlier. Although, Mita said something about preparing some before we entered."

"Mita's always on top of things; she always seems to know what is needed before I have to say anything. Well, I will go check on it. If you would like to freshen up a bit, your rooms have been readied for you. Sora, a guest room has been prepared for you as well – Geni will show it to you since it is near her own room."

"Thank you, Queen Minnie," Sora said graciously.

"No thanks needed. I will see you all shortly." Queen Minnie nodded, and Donald, Goofy, and Sora kneeled while Geni and Lady Daisy curtsied as she left. Lady Daisy waved goodbye to the group and followed Queen Minnie out the side door.

"Shall we?" Geni said happily.

"Okee-dokee. We'll meet you fellers' in the dining hall then in a half an hour or so, okay?"

"Sounds fine, Goofy. I'll show Sora around the castle then," Geni said.

"Okay, but don't get into too much trouble!" Donald warned.

"Who, me?" Geni said innocently, but with a look of mischief in her eye. "Come on, Sora, let's go. Do you want to see my room or your room first?" Sora rolled his eyes, his choice obvious. Grinning, Geni led Sora back down the long aisle towards the large purple doors. Opening the small door, Geni exited and headed to her left.

Walking down the large corridors, Sora felt like an ant. The castle was huge, with passageways leading off in all directions. Also, there were different kinds of doors everywhere. There were plain brown doors, dark blue doors with stars on them, red doors with small holes in them, purple doors, all of which had odd signs on them – some with words and some with just shapes. Geni continued walking, entering a great hall with a huge crystal chandelier lighting it, and began ascending a grand staircase, leading to the right wing of the castle. Another grand staircase on the opposite side of the great hall led towards the left wing of the castle. Most of the floors were made of the same white marble, but all of them had a carpet running along the middle of them for comfort.

Along the way, Sora and Geni happened to pass numerous castle workers, all who were very happy to see her back at the castle. They conversed with her, asking her how she had been and vice versa, before returning to their duties. Geni seemed happy to talk with them, asking them different personal questions; Sora was amazed that she knew all of their names and much more besides.

Finally, after climbing up to the fourth and last landing of the grand staircase, they walked down a long hallway until Geni stopped in front of a beautiful cherry wood door. "Well, were here," she said to Sora.

"This is your room?"

"Mm-mmm. I'll unlock it; it will only take a moment." Putting her hand near the doorknob, Geni quietly whispered a word and a yellow light surrounded her hand. Suddenly, a click was heard and the door swung in. "Shall we?" Geni offered for Sora to go in first.

Sora's mental images of how Geni's room could have looked were completely smashed when he entered the real one. The floor was made of beautiful oak wood, soft and shiny. The first room was a circular chamber, including a table in the center with fresh flowers and a small sitting area. There were also several doors leading off in different directions. Geni walked over to the left-most door and opened it. Looking in, Sora could see a large four poster bed made out of the same cherry wood as the door with a sage green coverlet and fluffy pillows. The same cherry wood furniture included a nightstand, a large armoire, and a dressing table with an oval mirror attached to it. Several windows facing the bay were covered by sheers blowing gently in the breeze. On the table were various boxes and bottles, but all neatly arranged. On Geni's nightstand were several photographs; on closer inspection, Sora noticed a few were from when Geni was younger. One when Geni was the same height as Queen Minnie and King Mickey – probably when she first arrived at Hollow Bastion – and she looked very shy standing next to them. In another she was in a field of flowers, probably the one outside of Hollow Bastion, adorning Lady Daisy with a chain of daisies for her head. One showed her hugging a small emerald and violet lizard with wings – Sora assumed this must have been Talyn. A few other photographs showed various ages with various people: King Mickey, Queen Minnie, Lady Daisy, Donald, Goofy, and an older woman with silvery-white hair Sora didn't recognize. Picking up that particular photograph, Sora asked, "Hey Geni, who's this?"

Geni came and looked at the photograph in mention. Smiling sadly, she said, "Do you remember when you asked who had taught me to sing? That's her."

"Really? She looks very…" Sora tried to place his thought into kind words.

"Old? Wrinkly?" Geni supplied. Sora put down the photograph apologetically. "Don't worry; she's much older than you think. Maybe one day you can meet her. Either way, let's keep going. We don't have much time until lunch." Geni walked across her bedroom and opened another door, leading into a small but comfortable bathroom which held a large tub, sink, and other amenities. "Well, that's my room in a nutshell. Any questions?"

"Of course! If this is just where you live, do other people share the main room with you?"

"No, this whole area is mine. I'll show you." Geni walked out of her bedroom and opened up the next door. "This is one of my favorite rooms. It's my own personal library and study room." Sora was amazed at what he saw; from floor to ceiling, covering every wall, were bookshelves filled of all kinds of books. Big books, little books, old books, new books, spell books, historical books, books about entire other worlds, mathematical and scientific books, as well as a large section of fictional novels. Sitting in the middle of the room was a sturdy desk with papers neatly stacked on it, pens and pencils sitting in a small cup, as well as bright lamp giving off a cheery glow. A cabinet in one of the corners held many differently shaped instruments that Sora could only wonder what their uses could be. The windows sitting on top of the bookshelves bathed the room with a merry light.

"How many books are in here?" Sora asked, wandering around looking at the different titles.

"Hmm…I don't really know. Several hundred, probably, but I'm always borrowing some from the Great Library."

"Several…hundred?!" Sora cried. "I haven't read that many in my whole life!"

"Well, when you have King Mickey, Queen Minnie, Lady Daisy, Donald, Goofy, Master Yen Sid, and other highly educated people home schooling you, it's a daily occurrence to be assigned several books."

"Your brain must be huge then," Sora commented. He pulled a book off of the shelf entitled _The Abstracts of the Light Medium and Their Opposing Characteristics_. "I don't even get what the title of this book means," flipping through several picture-less pages.

"It describes the eternal struggle of the light versus the darkness," Geni said nonchalantly.

Sora laughed. "You and Riku would make a great pair! He's always reading too; no wonder he was number one in school!" Sora didn't see the knowing look come into Geni's eyes, but if he had he would have realized Geni already knew this.

"Well, let's keep going. There are still two rooms left to go." Leaving the library, Geni opened up the next door and revealed an indoor greenhouse filled with exotic plants and shrubs. Some of the flowers were in full bloom, showing off bright pinks, purples, blues, oranges, and reds. Some bushes had different kinds of berries growing on them, while one section had short scrubby plants. A small sign next to them read "Watch Your Step!" "This is my personal garden, where I grow most of the ingredients I might need for spells, potions, salves, ointments, and so on. Some of these plants have ceased to exist on their original worlds, and so we cultivate the most needed ones and send seedlings back to be replanted."

"Wow, you sure are busy. When do you find time to relax?"

Geni smiled. "Follow me into the next room." Sora and Geni walked carefully out of the greenhouse and to the final door in her suite. "You might like this room the most, Sora," she said mischievously. Opening the door, Sora and Geni entered a training facility. The main room was shaped like a dojo, and the adjacent room held an assortment of different weapons: several types of swords, spears, bows and arrows, kunai and shuriken, nun chucks, and Geni's favorite: the long staff.

"This is where I would exercise and practice my battle skills and fighting in general. Queen Minnie thought it would be best to keep the training area close to my room in case of emergencies and the like."

Sora was carefully examining the weapons; he had to admit they were in good condition, and most look well used. "Who taught you?"

"Well, Donald and King Mickey taught me battle magic, while Goofy, Leon, and sometimes Cloud taught me fighting skills. I also am a decent gymnast as well." To prove her point, Geni ran towards the center of the room, flipping herself into a handstand leading into a front to back spinning flip and landing gracefully on one foot in the crane position.

Sora clapped congratulatory, then said, "That was amazing! It must have taken years of practice, considering."

Geni nodded, walking back towards him. "A little every day, and more so when no one was watching me. Anyway, it's just about time for lunch, why don't I go and show you to your room?"

"Ahh, soft sheets; it's not like I slept a lot at Merlin's house."

"Donald and Goofy's snoring?" Sora nodded. "Queen Minnie made them soundproof their walls because every night they kept everyone awake in their part of the castle with their snoring. Anyway, let's get going." Geni and Sora headed out of the training room and back into the circular room and out the door. Locking it again as they left, Geni turned down the hallway leading back towards the grand staircase they had come up.

"All of the guest rooms are located around the grand staircases so any guests we have don't get lost easily. Your room is on the floor directly below mine." Climbing down part of the staircase until it leveled off onto the floor below Geni's, Sora and Geni only walked past a few doors before Geni stopped at a plain brown door that had a key-shaped insignia on it. "Here's your room; to open it just hold your hand onto the doorknob for a few seconds until you hear it click. There are spells on the knobs that are attuned to the people staying in the room. Try it."

Sora stepped towards the door and grabbed the knob. It began to glow softly, and after a moment Sora heard a gentle click and the door swung inwards. The room wasn't very fancy, just like Geni's, and had a very homey quality to it. A full size bed sat in the corner with a red comforter, a nightstand, a dresser, and a table and chair opposite the bed. Several windows let plenty of light into the room, and off in the corner was another door leading into a bathroom.

Sora gaped. "This is one of your guest rooms?! It looks like a palace compared to the guest room back at home."

"Well, considering some of our guests _are_ royalty, all of the rooms need to be very nice. This will be your room whenever you come to visit. I'm going to go wash up and change before lunch, so if you want to do the same…?" Geni's statement was more like a large hint.

"Sounds good."

Geni nodded. "I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. Have fun." She turned and headed out the door, closing it behind her. Sora looked around, before eying up the bed. Tossing off his shoes quickly, he ran and jumped onto it. He was met with a soft down mattress as well as silky smooth sheets and comforter. Sinking down into bliss, he almost decided to go to sleep instead of eating. However, his stomach loudly disagreed with him, so he got up and headed into the bathroom. Seeing a shower with towels and shampoo, he quickly decided to jump in. Five minutes later, Sora was drying off and feeling better than he had in a while. Looking in the mirror, he was amazed to see how much he had changed. Rippling muscles were beginning to appear on his torso, arms, and legs. He smiled, knowing Riku couldn't really call him scrawny anymore. Walking into the main room and putting his clothes back on, he realized they had been cleaned as well. _What the?! When did _this _happen? I'll have to ask Geni if there are some kinds of self cleaning spells around here or something like that._ Feeling good with a clean body and clean clothes, Sora noticed that Geni would be coming to pick him up in a minute. Putting his shoes back on, he headed towards the door. Just as he was about to open it, he heard a knock.

"Sora, are you ready?" he heard Geni call.

"Yeah, coming," he said as he opened the door while simultaneously – and metaphorically – dropping his jaw to the floor. Geni had _definitely_ cleaned up too; she had washed up like Sora, but her clothes! Geni was wearing a deep purple tiered skirt with a matching lighter purple long sleeve shirt with flared sleeves. She wore a pair of tall brown suede boots that reached up to her knees, and a silver pendant in the shape of a heart encircled her neck. Her hair was the same as before, except she had twisted her braid into a circle on the back of her head for a more dignified look. (Imagine Princess Leia's braids on the side of her head, but now on the back). "Wow, uh, you look…nice."

"Thank you; it seems Queen Minnie made some alterations to my wardrobe while I was gone, elongating most of my outfits by several inches." She twirled around for effect. "Look at you, though! I can hardly recognize you without a layer of dirt on."

"Ha ha ha, very funny. By the way, do the rooms here have some kind of self cleaning spells on them?"

"Sort of. Did you leave anything in the main room to go and wash up?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, my clothes while I took a quick shower."

"Thought so. Most of the guest rooms have spells on them to keep them clean; considering there are many of them, the castle workers don't have the time to clean them every single day. So the spells help out with the less used rooms of the castle. Understand?"

"I bet the castle employees love it that their rulers' can use magic like that."

"Actually, I was the one who created the spell we use. It's a timed spell, physical activation spell, and a cleaning spell all rolled into one. Not too difficult, but getting down the fine details of it was quite tedious."

"Geni, one – Sora, zero. You're really going to have to start teaching me more of this practical magic, you know."

Smiling, Geni replied "I know. But for right now, if we don't hurry, we'll be late for a late lunch. Let's go – I'm starving!" The twins walked the short distance to the grand staircase and walked down it once again. Instead of going through the hallway leading to the southern wing of the palace where the Audience Chamber was, they headed toward the north wing. Each wing of the castle looked the same because of the same use of the white marble all over, but the doors and tapestries indicated otherwise. Also, Sora began to smell something delicious as they continued down yet another long hallway. Even more castle employees could be seen, transporting goods or talking with one another in small groups. After turning down one last hallway, they found a large pair of olive green doors (not as big as the doors to the Audience Chamber, though).

"We're here!" Geni announced. Pushing open one of the doors, Sora was amazed to find a large banquet hall. There were five immensely long tables, with a smaller table up front on a small dais. People were still scattered around the hall finishing a late lunch or talking together for a short break. Geni began walking towards the dais at the front, while greeting people who happened to come up and talk with her as she passed. As if appearing out of thin air, a group of very young children ran up to her and hugged her skirts.

"My! I haven't been gone _that_ long, have I?" she laughed.

"Lady Geni! Don't be mean! You've been gone for –" a little female bear cub tried counting on her fingers "– for a _long_ time, and you promised you would play with us last time!"

"Yeah!" chorused several other small voices.

"Alright, after I finish a late lunch with Queen Minnie and some friends of mine, my _brother_ Sora and I will come and play with you. Where should we meet you?"

"Your brother? Really? Can we go outside to the meadows? Pretty _please_?" Tiny, whining voices asking so many questions were making several heads turn.

"I'll ask Queen Minnie. If she says yes, then okay. For now, meet us in the central garden, okay?"

"YEA!" they ran off through the main doors. Geni turned back to Sora only to see him giving her a strange look. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It seems you were missed around here more than you thought."

"Sorry, all I had been thinking about lately was my fight with Queen Minnie. I guess from time to time the most important people to you sometimes make it harder to remember the other equally important people in your life. Well, shall we? I think everyone is waiting for us." Proceeding to the dais, Geni was right. Queen Minnie was sitting at the head of the table followed by Lady Daisy; Donald and Goofy were already eating a few sandwiches.

"Finally!" Donald grumbled. "Your fan club couldn't wait?"

Sitting down opposite Lady Daisy, Geni smiled. "Of course not; thank goodness all they had was a play date on their minds!" She reached for a sandwich situated on a plate in the center of the table.

"Well, everyone here at the castle is glad the three of you are home safely. Now, as long as we have a little time, I would like the full story beginning when you two left the castle." The group nodded, and began to relay their story: beginning their first quest in Traverse Town where they first met Sora to closing the door to darkness with King Mickey and Riku on the other side, then beginning again since they woke up in Twilight Town and finding Geni in Hollow Bastion to their arrival that afternoon at Disney Castle.

Several sandwiches later, the group finished their tale – considering the variations within the four different view points. Queen Minnie was quiet, pondering on their account. "Hmm, everything seems to make sense; however, what about the part of your memories that is missing? From the time between closing the door to darkness and awakening."

The three sat in silence, pondering. "We don't really know, your majesty," Goofy said, speaking first. "We only had one clue that Jiminy Cricket found in our travel log; it said 'Thank Naminé.'"

"Any idea on who this Naminé is?"

"No, but King Mickey or Riku might, once we find them," Sora said.

"I see. Well, thank you very much – I'll be having Jiminy place your travel log into the Grand Library for reference; for now, though, he will still accompany you in your travels."

"Speaking of which, Queen Minnie, I haven't seen Jiminy since we landed. Where is he?" Donald inquired.

"Currently he is speaking with Pinocchio and Geppeto, who had been visiting the castle. Geppeto has been working on a few of the gummi ships for us, and were quite glad when you showed up with Jiminy. Since I know you will have to leave soon, I gave Jiminy all the personal time he could with them, considering how close he and Pinocchio are."

"Speaking of close, I must excuse Sora and myself. We have a play date to attend to before it gets too late. I am supposed to ask you if it is alright to visit the meadows outside of the castle, Queen Minnie," Geni asked, looking directly at her.

Queen Minnie nodded, saying, "Since Sora will be with you, it is fine with me. But please be inside the castle gates well before sundown."

Geni nodded, then stood and excused herself, carrying her plates over to a small window in the side of the hall. Sora followed suite, seeing that there was a kitchen hand on duty to take their dirty dishes. Thanking the person, Sora and Geni excited the dining hall, heading for the central garden where the ornate topiaries were and the entrance to the gummi hanger.

As they walked, Geni noticed Sora had an intense look on his face. "Thinking about Queen Minnie's question?" she asked.

Sora nodded. "It seems odd that we can't remember a _whole_ year, but I have a feeling the memories are lurking somewhere in my heart – forgotten, but not lost."

"I'm sure you'll remember with time, as will I. But for now, it's time to play with some small friends." They had entered the garden, and the group of five youngsters was eagerly awaiting them. Smiling, Geni approached them and said "Queen Minnie gave us permission to go outside the castle for a while. Are you ready?" Small shouts of joy filled the air, implying a definitive yes. The small bear cub and a female duckling grabbed Geni's hands, while a small male hare grabbed one of Sora's hands.

"Let's go Geni's brother Sora! Time's a wasting!"


	12. Festivities and Farewells

_Credits go to Evanescence - I don't own the song or the lyrics._

Chapter 11

As the sun was setting on a picturesque day near the Disney Castle, two weary teens, two sleeping children, and three barely awake children made their way back to the castle gates. Sora had the little hare on his back snoring soundly; he had found out his name was Skippy. Geni was carrying the little duckling named Webbigail in her arms. Geni quietly hummed a lullaby-like tune while she walked, swaying Webbigail gently. Sora smiled, and shifted Skippy once again as they approached the castle gates.

A vixen was waiting for them as they arrived; seeing the tired children she smiled and walked over to Sora. Sora paused, wondering what the young lady was doing, until he realized she was taking Skippy off his back. Sora smiled, and mouthed the words "thank you" to her. Smiling back, she turned and headed back into the castle. His arms now free, he helped to herd the other sleepy children inside. Seeing the entire group inside, the guard from before let out a shout and the huge gates swung closed with a loud _thud_ behind them. Following the vixen, Geni and Sora came toward a cross section in the hallway where she turned.

"I'll take the children from here, Lady Geni. Thank you for watching them for me," the vixen said with a nod of gratitude.

"Of course, Maid Marian, anytime. How are Sir Robin and Friar Tuck these days?"

Skippy woke up, hearing his favorite person's name. He wriggled a bit until Maid Marian put him down. "Just wonderful! Oh, with King Richard back things have been splendid. The town has returned to normal; however, there are still some bandits loyal to that horrible Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham that are trying to regain rule."

"I'm sure things will quiet down with Robin on the job. Speaking of you two, I heard that some wedding bells were rung recently between you." Mentioning their wedding, Maid Marian blushed profusely. "Congratulations! I knew you two were perfect for each other. Happy memories and happy years to you both."

"Thank you, Lady Geni. Thank you as well, sir…" Maid Marian looked at Sora inquisitorially.

"Sora, just Sora. I'm Geni's twin brother," he said, stating the obvious.

Maid Marian nodded and smiled, saying, "I thought you two looked quite similar, but I wasn't sure. Congratulations are in order to you as well," she said, looking at Geni.

Geni blushed, looking down. "Well, if you'll excuse us, we must be going. Will we see you at dinner?"

Maid Marian shook her head no. "Unfortunately, the gummi ship to home is taking off within the hour, so I have to get these mischief makers ready and packed. Thank you for your kind offer, though."

"Of course. I hope you can come back soon. Have a safe trip!" Shifting Webbigail, Geni turned to Sora. "Let's get Webbi back to the nursery and then see when dinner is." Sora nodded, and they turned to continue down the hallway while waving goodbye to their friends from the world of Old England. Thank goodness for the duo, the nursery was situated on the first floor of the castle not too far from the dining hall. Leaving the sleeping Webbigail with one of the nursery attendants, Sora and Geni headed in the direction of the dining hall. Many other workers in the castle were heading in the same direction, so they could only assume it was quite close to dinnertime.

Walking down the hallway, Sora noticed that many people were looking at him and Geni and talking in excited whispers and occasionally pointing. Leaning towards Geni and crossing his eyes, he asked, "Do I have something on my face?"

Geni turned to look and let out a laugh. "Nothing that I can see except for your optical problem. Why do you ask?"

Sora shrugged. "People are staring and talking. Probably about me, you, or the two of us."

"Well, it has been a long, _long_ time since we've hosted a legendary Keyblade Master here. Or, people want to see if I've turned into a monster from my year long association with Organization XIII."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough." Sora and Geni had just entered through the main doors to the dining hall. Almost all of the tables were filled, and they could see Donald motioning for them to come and sit up at the main table with them. Making their way through the maze of chairs, they finally reached the main dais. The table was set to face the other tables in the hall; Queen Minnie was seated in the middle with Lady Daisy, Donald, and Goofy on her left with two empty chairs on her right. Geni seated herself next to Queen Minnie and Sora took the last open chair. Smelling something delicious coming from the kitchen, Sora's mouth began to water and his stomach – yet again that day – began to grumble. Geni laughed, and said, "Don't worry – Queen Minnie usually gives a short address to everyone, then we eat."

"I _hope_ it's short," Sora said, rubbing his stomach. As if on cue, Queen Minnie stood up and everyone in the hall quieted themselves.

Smiling, Queen Minnie addressed the residents of the castle. "My dear friends, today is a special day. As most of you know, our dear friends and family members have returned to us after a year long absence. They were gone fighting the darkness for us, to keep our home safe. For this, we thank you Donald and Goofy." Loud applause echoed off of the walls. "As well, a very special and a very dear person to me has returned as well; she was taken from us a year ago and put under a spell by Organization XIII. However, thanks to the efforts from our friends in Hollow Bastion, Lady Geni is now back among the residents of the light." Even louder clapping and shouting was heard, making Geni blush. "Finally, we have one last – and very important – guest with us. I would like to introduce Sora, the Keyblade Master, and also Lady Geni's long lost brother." To this, the applause was just as loud, but mixed in to it were excited whispers and plenty of astonished gazes. "Tonight we celebrate the homecoming of three of our own, and our thanks for their continued efforts in their arduous fight. So, let us celebrate!" Throwing up her hands, a blue light was emitted, covering the entire hall blindingly. After it dissipated, food had magically appeared on the tables, and the hall was covered with decorations as well as a large sign that said "Welcome Home!" on it. However, Sora was too engrossed in the massive amount of food in front of him that he barely noticed the other changes in the hall. Sora's eyes shone as he began to pile up his plate with at least ten different kinds of food. As soon as he finished, he picked up his spoon and fork – one in each hand – and dug in.

Donald and Goofy acted in the same way as Sora – probably the rations they had been used to on the gummi ship were definitely not as nice as real home cooked food. On the other hand, Lady Daisy, Queen Minnie, and Geni still took regular portions and ate gracefully. Looking around the hall, Geni could only smile at all of the happy faces. _It's good to be home_, Geni thought to herself. Looking over at Sora, Geni wondered if he had a black hole for a stomach, considering the massive amounts of food he seemed to be devouring. _I wonder if he misses the Destiny Islands as much as I missed Hollow Bastion and the Disney Castle_. Shaking her head at him, she continued eating, listening to the conversations around her.

As Geni was finishing the last of her vegetables, she happened to feel a tap on her shoulder. Looking to her left, she noticed Queen Minnie had a serious expression on her face. Motioning her to move closer, she whispered "After the festivities have finished for the night, please come to my chambers. There are several _individuals_ you need to confer with." Opening her eyes wide, Geni knew _exactly_ whom Queen Minnie was talking about. Swallowing her food rather quickly, she nodded. She then pushed her plate aside, quite losing her appetite after Queen Minnie's statement. It was good timing, however; almost everyone in the hall had finished eating, and seemed to be eagerly awaiting something.

Sora noticed as well, after finished his third helping of everything. Putting down his silverware and using his napkin, he turned to Geni. She seemed distant, staring off into space. "What's everyone waiting for Geni? _Geni?_ Hey, Geni!" Sora finally shook her shoulder, snapping her out of her musings.

"Dancing," she said, still staring.

"What?"

"Usually we have dancing on special occasions such as this. You do know how to dance, don't you?" she asked, finally looking at him with a raised eyebrow while reaching for her glass of water.

"Um…" Sora began to fidget in his seat. "Does the Macarena count?"

Taking a drink while Sora was talking, she almost sprayed water all over the table. "_What?!_ Is that supposed to be a joke or something?"

"No." Looking so honest and sincere, Geni could only laugh. "Well, I suppose that means no ballroom dancing experience?"

Sora looked at his sister in horror. "Like…_waltzing_?"

"At least you know the name of one. Don't worry, I'll help you out; one of the things you have to learn living in a castle is dancing etiquette. But, we also do more contemporary dancing like the Macarena and the Electric Slide; for the children we dance to songs like the hokey pokey and the chicken dance. You could call it a well-rounded mix."

Sora let out a sigh of relief; maybe he could make it through the night without _too_ many problems. His relief was cut short when Queen Minnie stood and raised her hands for silence. This seemed to be the cue everyone was waiting for. "Thank you for your patience; as you all know, we can't have a welcome back party without having a little fun. If everyone could stand please? Geni, could you help me with this one?" All at once, chairs across the hall scraped the floor and Geni went to stand next to Queen Minnie. Grasping hands, they shouted "Let the festivities begin!"

The chairs, tables, and food vanished leaving behind a clean wooden floor that spanned most of the hall. Sora found himself standing below the dais now, and where he was just sitting sat an orchestra tuning their instruments. Everyone in the hall seemed to move on an invisible cue; walking to the perimeter of the dance floor, they waited for the traditional first couple. Queen Minnie walked over to Geni and Sora, asking "Would you two lead us tonight?"

Geni immediately said yes, whereas Sora was _slightly_ apprehensive – to say the least. Grabbing his arm as she pulled him to the center of the floor, Geni whispered "Just follow my lead." Standing in the epicenter of a huge and expectant crowd, Geni and Sora waited for the cue from the conductor. Finally, after a long moment, he turned to face the crowd and bowed. Turning back towards the orchestra, Geni noticed he was beginning with a three count. Hurriedly whispering to Sora, she said "It's a waltz, so count in three when you step. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, got it?" Without waiting for an answer, Geni grabbed Sora's right hand in the air, and with her left placed his hand on her side just under her left shoulder and put her own hand on top of his shoulder.

Swallowing loudly, Sora was as red as a beet. "Are you sure about this?"

Geni looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Positive; just relax." Suddenly, the orchestra began the overture for Waltz for the Moon. After hearing the first few measures, Geni began to step in three, moving in a circle. Sora was a tad clumsy at first, but picked up quickly after watching Geni's feet and how she moved. Now he was moving as gracefully as she was. _This is easy! Wait until I tell Kairi I can _waltz, he though smugly. After another minute of dancing, Sora noticed several other couples were joining them as the swirled across the dance floor: Donald and Lady Daisy, Goofy and Madame Mouvelle, and several others. Within moments, the whole hall was swishing and swaying in sync to the beautiful music. All too soon, the dance was over; male partners bowing to their female partners and female partners curtsying to their male partners.

While coming back up to eye level, Geni said, "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Maybe not for you; I think I would like to sit out the next one."

Geni shrugged. "Whatever suits you. Usually we start off with more traditional dances and work our way up to the more contemporary ones that you would be familiar with."

"Okay. We'll, I guess I'll see you later then."

Geni looked at her brother, worry in her eyes. "Are you sure? I could come –" Geni was cut off by a tap on her shoulder.

"May I have this dance, Lady Geni?" a young and handsome buck asked. Geni looked at Sora once again.

Smiling, Sora said, "Go and have fun. This is your party too, you know. I'll see you in a little bit." Nodding, Geni allowed herself to be led away into a foxtrot. Sora walked to the edge of the room and found a door that led to an outside balcony. The sky was full of sparkling stars, and a light breeze played in the wind. The music and laughter from inside the dining hall drifted out into the peaceful night.

Leaning on the balcony, Sora closed his eyes. He couldn't help but think of Kairi and Riku, of his home on the Destiny Islands. Smiling, he remembered the surprise party for Riku's last birthday they threw on their favorite little island near the large island where they lived. They stayed there all night with a huge bonfire, dancing to the radio, roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories. Sighing, Sora wondered how Kairi was doing all alone back home. Well, not all alone; Wakka, Tidus, Selphie, and the others would be there for her. But what about Riku? The king hadn't – or maybe couldn't – tell them where he was or what he was doing. But by admitting to that, he at least _had_ seen Riku since they closed the door to the darkness together. Opening his eyes, Sora stared out into the brilliant night sky.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there, but Sora was startled out of his stupor when he heard someone calling his name. "Sir Sora! Sir Sora! Are you out here?" Turning, he saw the same girl who had led them to the Audience Chamber this afternoon.

"Mita?" Sora said questioningly.

She halted in the direction she was heading, and spun around to grab Sora's arm. "Sir Sora! Lady Geni is about to sing for everyone! You must come and watch!"

Nodding, Sora followed Mita into the dining hall where everyone was watching the dais with the orchestra on it. A microphone on a stand had been set up, and Geni was just ascending the stairs next to the platform. Whispering to the conductor for a moment, he nodded and turned to speak with the orchestra. Arriving at the microphone, Geni smoothed her skirt several times in nervousness. Clearing her throat, she looked towards the conductor, who nodded affirming that the orchestra was ready. Looking out into the hall, she smiled.

"When coming back to Disney Castle, I was ecstatic and uneasy at the same time. While I couldn't wait to see everyone here again, I was worried that my absence might have been cause for…_concern_ amongst you. However, my doubts were greatly put to rest by the overwhelming support you have all shown me since my arrival. And now, I would like to dedicate this song to a very special person; one of the people who raised me and taught me how to be myself despite many hardships." Nodding to the conductor, he began to lead the orchestra. A haunting melody filled the room, drawing everyone in to an endless abyss of sound. Her eyes closed, Geni began to sing – soft and gentle at first, but growing louder and stronger every second...

_I'm so tired of being here_

_Suppressed by all my childish fears_

_And if you have to leave_

_I wish that you would just leave_

_Cause your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone_

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time can not erase_

_When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have all of me_

_You used to captivate me by your resonating light_

_Now I'm bound by the life you left behind_

_Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams_

_Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me_

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time can not erase_

_When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears_

_And I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have all of me_

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_

_But though you're still with me_

_I've been alone all along_

_When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears_

_I held your hand through all of these years_

_But you still have all of me._

As the music continued, vanishing into nothingness, no one dared move or breathe in the hall. Several people had tears in their eyes, while others stared blindly. Sora was in a group with the latter; the singing he had heard from his sister in Hollow Bastion was nothing compared to what she just performed. Now he knew why Mita had come to get him – Geni was far more accomplished in the art of voice than she let on. As the music finally faded, Geni bowed deeply to the audience. Finally, some clapping was heard towards the back, cracking the dam of silence. Shouting, yelling, applauding, whistling, any kind of appreciative sound was heard in a large chorus. Smiling, her face quite red, Geni thanked the orchestra behind her and walked off of the makeshift stage.

Queen Minnie was waiting for her at the base of the stairs. You couldn't have seen a more pleased foster mother anywhere – Queen Minnie was beaming, pride radiating off of her. "That was wonderful," she said to Geni as she reached the floor.

"You liked it?"

"Of course! And so did everyone else, although I have to say I'm slightly biased." Squeezing her hands, she continued. "I am so proud, and so lucky too."

"Thank you. Did you enjoy it Sora?" she said as Sora joined them.

"That was amazing! I was so caught up in it that I almost didn't realize you had finished. That was some teacher you had." Queen Minnie looked at Geni strangely, realizing the person to whom Sora was referring to was out of Geni's mysterious past. Noticing Queen Minnie's raised eyebrows, Geni quickly intervened.

"Well! I'm so thirsty I think I could down the bay! Want to go get some water Sora? See you later Queen Minnie!" as she practically dragged Sora to the back of the hall. Shaking her head, it seems like the "talk" later with Geni was going to be quite interesting.

Reaching the back of the hall, Geni slowed down. "What was that for?" Sora asked, rubbing his arm where Geni had grabbed him so suddenly. "Are you _that_ thirsty?"

"Oh, sorry about that," she said, looking distracted.

"What's up? Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"Don't worry about it," she said smiling. A large grandfather clock in the back of the dining hall began to strike to the hour – it was ten o'clock. "It's getting kind of late, did you want to see or do anything before bed?"

"Hmm, not really. Now that you mention it –" here Sora yawned very loudly "– I am kind of tired. I think hitting the sheets early tonight might be a good idea, considering we might be leaving tomorrow or the day after."

Nodding, Geni walked out into the hallway. Walking back the way they had come, they reached the grand staircases in no time and began ascending the right staircase towards the third floor. After passing the first flight, Sora noticed that Geni was getting slower and slower until he was almost a full flight of stairs ahead of her. _Looks like I'm not the only tired one_, he thought to himself. Sora reached the third floor first and waited for Geni. She was slightly out of breath and gently massaging her bruised ribs when she arrived. "Are you okay?" Sora asked.

"Yes, just a little tired, nothing to worry about," Geni said, smiling widely at Sora.

Sora turned and continued down the hall. "Okay. Well, I think I can find the way from here –" he turned back around to say goodbye just as he saw Geni slumping to the floor. "Geni!" Sora ran over to her, grabbing her before she fell hard. "Are you alright?!"

Geni looked up at Sora tiredly. "Yeah. I guess I'm more drained than I thought. Sorry," she said meekly.

Noticing how close they were to Sora's room, he said, "Let's go to my room, and you can rest there for a minute before going up to your own room. Okay?"

"But Sora, I can –"

"No buts. You remember what Queen Minnie said earlier."

Well, that silenced her. "Okay, but only for a minute, then I'm going."

"Deal. Let me help you." Sora gingerly helped Geni to her feet, supporting her as they walked slowly the last few feet to his door. Grabbing the knob like Geni had showed him earlier, the door swung open with a faint click and then they were inside. Closing the door behind them, Sora noticed that a fire had been lit inside the small hearth. Looking for someplace Geni could sit, he saw that the only chair was a wooden one at the table. Sora decided to lead Geni over to his bed instead. "Here, sit on the bed."

With Sora's help, Geni sat down carefully on his bed. "Did you still want a glass of water or something?"

"Yes, please, if you don't mind," she said, feeling the soft material under her fingers.

"One moment." Sora walked into the adjoining guest bathroom. "So, what did you want to do tomorrow if we don't have to leave right away? If it's okay with you, could we look either in your library or the Grand Library you were talking about for information on the Nobodies?" Sora had found a glass and was filling it with cool water from the tap. "What do you think?" Sora walked back out into the main room, planning on continuing his conversation only to realize it was one-sided. Geni was fast asleep, her legs dangling off of the bed and her torso lying back so it seemed she had just fallen over where she had been sitting.

Sora smiled, and set the now useless glass of water on the table. Walking over to Geni he quietly took off her boots, setting them gently on the floor. Carefully, without waking her up, he picked his sister up in a bridal style fashion, moving her from sleeping vertically to horizontally on the bed. She was so light; Sora felt like any large movements could have broken her. Geni made a small noise in her sleep, but otherwise was peaceful. Now sleeping comfortably on the far side of the bed, she rolled on her side to face Sora. He took off his own clunky shoes and went over to stoke the fire. As the embers flared to life once again, Sora wondered where he was supposed to sleep now. Walking back over to the bed, he watched his sister breathe in and out deeply, no cares or worries etched into her normally solemn face. Finding no other solution, Sora leaned over her. "Goodnight Geni," he whispered softly. Sora climbed up gently as to not move the mattress, and he lay down on the edge of the bed opposite Geni, his back facing her.

The bed was so soft and comfortable; Sora's eyes were soon closing to the soft lullaby of Geni's even breathing and the soft crackling of the fire. Little did they know that they were being watched from the shadows...

"What lazy bums those two are. I can understand Geni, but Sora was always an unlimited fountain of energy. Well, at least they're safe in the castle with the Cornerstone of Light protecting them." Two beings in black, one tall and one very short were looking through a window made of darkness into the guest room where Sora and Geni were currently sleeping.

"It makes me feel better, knowing that she's back in a place that can protect her. But what about when she leaves?" said the short person.

"Why does she have to? As soon as Sora defeats the Organization she can do whatever she wants to."

"I don't think she would be very happy with the idea of being locked up in the castle for an indefinite amount of time." The dark window began to waver. "Uh oh, looks like the Cornerstone is trying to block us again. Since we can't enter the castle yet, did you want to...?"

"Not yet. Let Sora visit a few more worlds before then." The tall individual waved his hand and the window of darkness disappeared. "For now, let them sleep. It's only fair, considering what they – and all of us – will be up against soon." The little person nodded in agreement, before both beings disappeared into the darkness around them.

_Knock, knock_. Someone was gently knocking at the door to Sora's room. _Knock, knock_. They tried again, hearing no one moving about.

Geni slowly opened her eyes, confused by a large black lump in front of her. Slowly reaching out her hand, she touched something warm and…snoring? Geni sat up like a shot when she realized what _it_ was: she was still in Sora's room, on Sora's bed to be more precise. Blushing profusely, Geni wondered what had woken her.

_Knock, knock, knock_ someone pounded insistently. Geni carefully crawled to the foot of the bed, creeping around Sora's sleeping form and stepped carefully onto the floor. Walking to the door, she opened it slowly as not to wake him. "Hello?" she whispered.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you! I had to cast a locater spell since you weren't in your room, the dining hall, the library..." Queen Minnie was standing outside the door, hands on her hips. "It's already eleven-thirty, you know."

Rubbing her eyes as Queen Minnie talked, she shot her an incredulous glance when she mentioned the time. "Queen Minnie, I am so sorry. Sora and I came back...I was so tired when we were talking...I must have forgotten..."

Queen Minnie put a finger to her lips. Sora was shifting on the bed, sprawling over to where Geni had been sleeping moments ago. "Don't worry, it's alright. Just put on your boots and let's get going before we wake the poor boy up."

Nodding, Geni padded softly over to the bed. Smiling at Sora's unconcerned use of personal space, she took the blanket from the foot of the bed and laid it over him. "Thanks Sora," she whispered in his ear. Sora mumbled something incoherent in his sleep before he rolled to his side. Grabbing her boots, she brought them with her into the hallway and closed the door before she put them on. "All set; let's get going before it gets too late."

Queen Minnie and Geni set off down the hallway and preceded down the grand staircase only to walk up to the fourth floor of the other staircase. That whole floor was dedicated to the royal couple and their personal facilities. Walking to a large door with the Mickey insignia on it, Queen Minnie pushed it open to reveal a comfortable sitting room with a roaring fire at one end. "We're using the gateway in the library, considering the central connection we have there. Are you sure you're feeling up to this right now?" Queen Minnie asked, looking Geni over.

She nodded, saying, "I'll be fine. That little bit of sleep helped a lot, and I can always catch up on some while I'm there after the discussions have finished. I take it you are not coming with me?"

Queen Minnie shook her head. "No, unfortunately the council's condition was that when you returned, you must immediately go and see them without delay. About what, I was never told. Even her majesty couldn't tell me anything. Considering you did arrive here this afternoon, they'll want to see you tonight rather than tomorrow morning."

"I see," Geni said thoughtfully. Queen Minnie walked over to another door, opening it to show a large library similar to Geni's own. However, one of the walls was left with an empty door shaped archway. On the wood were intricate designs drawn in chalk in some ancient language.

Walking up to the door, Queen Minnie said "Be careful. And do your best, no matter what; I'll be waiting here for good news."

"I will be," Geni said. She kneeled down to hug the small monarch who happily hugged her back. "It's time," Geni said.

Queen Minnie nodded, stepping in front of Geni towards the archway. Raising her hands, she said in a commanding voice "Velus atrupa na Keepers eruhia di Queen Minnie!" Suddenly, the chalk drawing on the wall burst into a pool of bright shimmering light. Queen Minnie stepped away, and Geni stepped forward towards the portal.

"See you soon," she said with a smile, before walking into the door of light and disappearing. The portal vanished into nothingness moments after. All Queen Minnie could do now was hope for good news.


	13. Secrets

Chapter 12

Sora woke up to feel warm sunlight on his face. Stretching, he opened his eyes and saw that the curtains were pulled aside from the window to let the bright morning sunlight in. It also seemed like a blanket had been draped over him sometime during the night. Turning, he tried to remember what had happened. Dinner, the dance, coming back to his room, Geni sleeping…Geni! Looking around the room, he realized she was gone. Peering over the side of the bed, he saw that her boots were gone as well. Figuring kidnappers wouldn't have bothered with grabbing her boots, he assumed she left by herself.

Sitting up slowly, he noticed that his shoes were neatly arranged by the table, the glass of water gone, and a note sitting on a tray full of what looked like breakfast. Hopping off of the bed and walking over to the table, he saw a steaming bowl of oatmeal with toast and some orange juice. Sitting down and taking a large swig of the orange juice, he began reading the note.

_Dear Sora,_

_We dropped off breakfast around nine-thirty and saw that you were still sleeping like a log so we didn't want to bother you. As you saw, Geni left late last night with Queen Minnie, and as far as we know she is still in her majesty's chambers. Neither of them have come out as of yet, and Queen Minnie has posted a "Do Not Disturb" spell on the door. They must be talking and catching up on some important things, so don't worry about it. We'll be back around eleven to make sure you don't sleep the day away. Today's agenda mostly involves preparing the gummi ship and resting for the trip ahead, so use your time wisely – we'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning. See you later!_

_Donald and Goofy_

Continuing on to the rest of his breakfast, Sora pondered. _Well, now things are starting to make sense. I hope Queen Minnie didn't keep Geni up too late talking; she looked dead tired last night._ Sora finished his breakfast in silence, his mind however thinking of all the things he wanted to accomplish today. _Hmm, research the Nobodies, help restock the gummi ship, train a little with the Keyblade and magic…_ His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Assuming it must be Donald or Goofy, he got up and answered it. "Hello?" Standing outside the door were Donald and Goofy, as assumed.

"Finally, you sleepyhead. I thought you were going to waste the whole day in there," Donald said impatiently.

"Did ya have a good nap Sora?" Goof chimed in.

"Definitely. I just finished the breakfast you guys left. By the way, any word on Geni and Queen Minnie yet?" Donald and Goofy gave each other a strange look. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"Well, maybe. Geni came out of Queen Minnie's room this morning a little after we left you breakfast. But she was…" Donald paused mid-sentence.

"What? What happened?" Sora was beginning to get very worried.

"Well, to put it simply," Goofy stated, "she was a mess. It looked like she had walked through a battle field. She had bruises and cuts all over – no broken bones, thank goodness – but she could barely stand. She was unconscious when Queen Minnie had her escorted to her room." Goofy and his frankness – enough to make anyone go senseless sometimes.

Sora could only stare in open-mouthed horror as Goofy finished his monologue. "Wh…What?" He turned back into his room, and raced to where his shoes were. Slipping them on very ungracefully, he raced past Donald and Goofy and out the door. "I have to go see her!"

"Sora, wait! You can't!" Donald yelled after him, but his words fell upon deaf ears. "Oh, good going, you big palooka!" Sora was already racing towards the grand staircase and up one floor to Geni's room. Reaching for the doorknob to her room, Sora was repelled by some invisible force and flew backwards onto the floor. Landing on his built in padding, he wondered what had stopped him. The only clue he had was a shimmering substance that covered her entire door. Jumping back up, he ran towards the door and pounded on it. He wasn't repelled back like the first time, but his hands tingled whenever he touched the door.

"Sora! Hold up!" Goofy called as they raced towards the door.

"Guys! The door…it won't let me in! Help me remove the spell or something!" Goofy and Donald halted near the door, showing no sign of helping him. "Come on guys, help me get in!"

"We can't Sora," Donald said dejectedly.

"Sorry," Goofy chimed in sadly.

"Well why not?" Sora demanded, still trying to pull at the door knob.

"Because they would not defy a direct order from me," a small but commanding voice said. The voice belonged to Queen Minnie who was walking down the hallway towards them. "Step away from the door, Sora."

Sora's hands had become numb from trying to force the door open. He stepped back slowly until he bumped into the wall opposite Geni's door. Sora tried to speak, but he could not form any coherent words or sentences. Queen Minnie walked up to Sora and grabbed his hands. A warm feeling began to spread through them, and Sora felt himself becoming calmer.

"It's alright, Sora," Queen Minnie said to him. Sora looked down with wide eyes at the small monarch. "Geni will be fine, as long as she gets plenty of rest. One of the castle doctors is in there right now with her, putting on a special spell that will heal all her wounds – then all she will need to do is sleep it off. Right now, the one thing she doesn't need is her brother acting like it's the end of the world. Understand?" Sora nodded, taking several deep breaths. Queen Minnie smiled, and then said "Good. Now, would you like to know what is going on?"

"Yes," said three voices at once. Sora looked quizzically at Donald and Goofy; he assumed they had known what exactly was happened to his sister.

"Well, unfortunately, I cannot tell you right now."

"WHAT!" they all shouted angrily.

"Gentlemen, calm down," Queen Minnie admonished. "Most of what happened last night is between Geni and I and some very important people."

"Who?" Sora demanded. "Were they the ones who did this to Geni?"

Queen Minnie was silent for a moment before replying. "I'm…not sure. I was not privy to their discussions, so I won't know anything until one of the council members' contacts me or Geni decides to tell me. However, it also may be the case that no one will tell us anything."

"Why not?" Goofy asked.

"I'm afraid this council is more powerful than anyone here at the castle, King Mickey and myself included. Now, before we go any further, I must ask something of all of you."

"What can we do, Queen Minnie?" Donald said.

"You must forget everything I have told you." Queen Minnie held up one of her hands, showing them a large crystal. "I'm terribly sorry, but no one must know about this until the time is right."

"What do you mean –?" The crystal began to glow; Sora could feel his eyes becoming blurry and his head feeling fuzzy. The crystal began to glow brighter and brighter, until the light suddenly disappeared.

"…so we're going to let her sleep, okay? I shouldn't have kept her up so late, considering how tired she looked when we started talking. Alright Sora, Donald, Goofy?" Queen Minnie was looking at the trio expectantly.

Sora looked blankly at Queen Minnie. What had she been talking about? Oh yeah! They stayed up late talking so she was letting Geni sleep until she woke up herself. "Yeah, Queen Minnie. I'm going to go check out the Grand Library for information on Nobodies. Do you guys want to come along?"

Donald immediately replied, "No, I'm going to go and work on the gummi ship and make sure everything is working in top condition. What about you, Goofy?"

Goofy was scratching his head. "Hey fellers, didn't we come up here for something important? It feels like I'm forgetting something…"

Donald knocked Goofy on the head with his staff. "You dummy! You were going to come and help me, remember? We were just checking on Geni before we left."

"Oh, that's right. Well, we'll see you later than Sora, Queen Minnie." Donald and Goofy walked away towards the gummi hanger.

"I had better get going too. Could you please let me know when Geni wakes up, Queen Minnie?"

"Of course, Sora. Did you need help finding the Grand Library?"

"Well, sort of. Could you at least point me in the right direction?"

"Certainly. If you go…" Queen Minnie gave Sora the easiest directions towards the library, and he set off with a wave. Queen Minnie waved back, waiting until the hallway was empty once again. Sighing, she removed her spell on the door and walked inside. Strolling to the first door on the left as Geni and Sora had done yesterday, she opened it to see the castle doctor sitting next to Geni's bed. Geni was in her bed sleeping, with a large bubble of magic surrounding her. Looking closely, you could see cuts healing themselves and bruises disappearing into her skin; there was a large gash across her forehead and along her right shoulder blade that were quickly fading away. She was so pale that if you hadn't seen her chest rising and falling with her breathing, someone could have mistaken her for dead. "How is she doing, doctor?"

The doctor stood up in Queen Minnie's presence. "Just fine. She is reacting to the spell quite well; so much so that it should be finished in about ten minutes or so."

Queen Minnie heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I'll stay with her then, until the spell finishes. I'll let you get back to your other work." The doctor nodded, packing up his small bag and heading towards the door. "Oh, doctor? One small thing."

"Yes, Queen –?" Before the doctor could finish the sentence, Queen Minnie was using the same crystal she had used on Sora, Donald, and Goofy to alter their memories.

"…and I believe one of the cooks might have cut his finger with one of those long knives, if you could look into it?" Queen Minnie again seemed to be waiting for an answer.

The doctor looked slightly dumbfounded for a moment, until he smiled and bowed. "Of course, I'll get right to it. Tell Lady Geni when she wakes up that if she has any more problems sleeping to let me know."

"I will do that. Thank you very much." The doctor nodded, and headed out the door. Turning back towards the bed, Queen Minnie sat down on the chair the doctor had been using. Looking at her bruised and battered foster daughter, she could only wonder.

"What's going on? You were only gone for ten hours, so roughly three days. What _happened_ to you there? What did they say? What did they _do_ to you?" Queen Minnie sighed heavily, wondering when her multitude of questions would be answered.

Sora was thinking the exact same thing. Having found the Grand Library, he began his search for information on the Nobodies, Organization XIII, and the Heartless. After searching through book after book after book for several hours, his search had led him no farther than the information he already knew. Heartless are darkness made real; Heartless were born from the darkness, and more Heartless are created when a person loses their heart to them or the darkness. Nobodies are created when someone with a strong heart and will leaves their body behind when they become a Heartless, and that empty shell begins to act of its own accord. Since the spirit and body eventually fade, the Nobodies do not truly exist at all. They do not have feelings because they do not have hearts. The most powerful Nobodies have now formed the group called Organization XIII which commands all of the lesser Nobodies. Sora couldn't find any more information than that.

"I guess even the Grand Library has its limits," Sora said, sounding defeated. "Oh well, might as well go and see if Donald and Goofy need any help." Grabbing the six books he had been currently paging through, he returned them to the librarian. Thanking her, he left the massive room that was filled from floor to ceiling with books. Considering the library was in the southern wing of the palace near the Audience Chamber, he retraced his steps from the day before and found himself in the central garden with the elaborate topiaries. Walking towards the central topiary that was shaped like a castle, he opened the doors and descended down the softly illuminated staircase. Goofy and Donald were walking around the gummi ship, checking panels full of wires and loading several large boxes into the hold. "Hey guys, how's it going?"

"Sora! Any luck in the library?" Donald asked, screwing in a panel near the engines.

"No, not a thing. Anything I did find we already know."

"Aw shucks, that's too bad. Whatcha going to do now?" Goofy asked.

"Don't know. Did you guys need any help with the gummi ship?"

"Well," Donald said, surveying the area around him, "You could help Goofy load the rest of the boxes down into the cargo hold. I'm just about finished with the standard maintenance. All that will be left after that is to run a diagnostic over the entire system and we'll be finished."

"Okay," Sora said, grabbing a box. Goofy and Sora made several trips down into the dark cargo hold and back until the platform was clear once again.

"Thanks for your help, Sora," Goofy asked as he wiped his brow. "I'll help Donald with the rest of it, so you're free for the afternoon."

"Sure. See you guys later," Sora said. He began to ascend the stairs once again, feeling like nothing was going right that day. _Nothing new from the library, Donald and Goofy have everything with the gummi taken care of, and Geni's still sleeping. I guess today just isn't my day. Oh well, at least we'll be on our way tomorrow; maybe we'll find the king or Riku!_ With the thought of reuniting with his best friend on his mind, Sora's depressing mood lifted and he smiled happily. _I wonder if Geni could be up yet._ Wanting to check on his sister, Sora climbed out of the gummi hanger and strolled towards the east wing of the castle and up the grand staircase, whistling all the way.

Queen Minnie was just exiting Geni's room when she saw Sora coming down the hallway. _Perfect timing_, she thought. "Good afternoon, Sora. How did everything go in the library? Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Not really," Sora said, sounding slightly defeated. "I couldn't find anything that we don't already know."

"That's too bad; our resources on the darkness and its beings are not large, even though they have been around for quite a long time. Maybe a book in Geni's library could help you; she has collected some older and more obscure books from over the years. Why don't you ask her?"

Sora's face lit up. "Is she awake finally? Can I go in?"

"Of course. She is still in bed resting, so knock first. I must go and attend to some things, but I'll send up some tea and snacks for both of you. Is that alright?"

"Definitely. Thank you for all of your generous hospitality, Queen Minnie."

"No problem, Sora. Geni is my foster daughter, after all; you are already like a member of the family to me. Thank you so much for returning her to us." Queen Minnie became slightly teary eyed at these sentiments. "Oh, excuse me. I'm getting all emotional on you – please excuse me." Queen Minnie smiled and walked down the hallway towards the grand staircase. Sora smiled, feeling a little at home, even though he had no idea how far away the Destiny Islands actually were.

Queen Minnie turned around at the top of the staircase to see Sora entering Geni's chambers. C_onsidering everything Geni just said..._

One hour earlier, Queen Minnie had been still sitting next to Geni as she slept. The spell had dissipated about fifteen minutes after she had entered, and now Geni was sleeping off the rest. All of her injuries had healed, but by her face she still looked exhausted. No one had come looking for her or Geni, and that she was glad for. Although, having to alter Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the doctor's memories left her a bit uneasy. _Well, they will find out one day. Just...not today_, Queen Minnie said to herself, defining her reason to her inner conscious. Her inner ponderings were cut short when she noticed Geni was beginning to wake up.

"Mmm," Geni said, moaning slightly, her eyes opening to see Queen Minnie sitting next to her. "Did you get the license plate number of that truck that hit me?"

Laughing, Queen Minnie replied, "If you can make bad jokes like that, you'll be fine. How are you _really_ feeling?"

"Terrible, but it could have been worse," she said as she sat up slowly. "I think they went easy on me, considering."

"You mean the council did this?!"

"Well, yes and no." Although Geni was sitting up, she was holding her head. "He didn't have to give me a migraine, though."

"Who's 'he'?" Queen Minnie asked. "Tell me everything."

"Of course. Well, the council must have redirected the gate, because I ended up entering into the main council chambers. Every single member was there to greet me."

"What? I didn't think they would take this that seriously. All one hundred of them?"

Geni nodded. "Yes. Her majesty even attended, oddly enough, even though the head of the council was there to preside. I stood at the central podium as is traditional, and they began by welcoming me back. Oddly enough, it reminded me of your audience yesterday. After welcoming me, they proceeded to go through everything in minute detail: the day I left the castle, why I left, whom did I leave with, what happened in the past year – our time – that I could remember, any new information I might have, and so on. I think it took at least six hours to get through everything."

"That quickly? They must have been planning something else then."

"Right again," she said. "After we finished the beginning discussions, I was brought up to date on what had happened there during the past seven years – their time. Some things have changed, while many others have stayed the same. Briefing me on that took at least another eight hours."

"That's only fourteen hours, though; and if you did sleep a little at night, what did you do the last day you were there?"

"They tested me." Queen Minnie stared at Geni.

"Excuse me? Pardon me frankness, but did they know what has happened since you came back to the realm of light three days ago?!"

"Exactly. The council wanted to know if this experience has strengthened me or left me weaker than ever. Of course, they made sure to heal any injuries I had and gave me an energy boost so I was at my peak." At this point, Geni looked down and started playing with a stray thread on her comforter. Queen Minnie noticed this action right away, assuming that Geni was alluding to some discomfort in her story that she didn't want to, but had to, tell her.

"Who did you have to fight?" Queen Minnie said softly, looking down at her own hands.

"_Him_," Geni whispered quietly. Queen Minnie started, knowing only one person she could be referring to. The only person whom Geni could fight while going all out, yet while trying to hold back at the same time.

"Oh dear. I'm sure the council had good reasons for pairing you with him. Was it in the arena with the required audience?"

Geni nodded. "Many people came to cheer me on, which made me feel very glad that so many of them still cared about me there. However...those people who detest outsiders' were also there cheering him on. The condition of the test was that if I won, I would be reinstated and everything would be just like before. However, if I lost...I would have lost everything I worked so hard for and more."

"What happened? Did you win?"

Here, Geni finally smiled. "Did you have any doubts? It was difficult; the battle itself was at least four hours or more with both of us fighting as if to destroy each other. Little did I know that he was being tested as well."

"Are you sure? But that means..."

"It does. He and I were both candidates, as well as several others. The others had been tested, and most failed according to a friend of mine. However, I do not know what the outcome of our test was. In our fight, however, I won only by a hair."

"I knew you could do it!" Queen Minnie jumped up and grabbed Geni's hands. "I had no doubts at all!"

"At least one of us didn't," she said. "After the battle finished, I blacked out on the floor of the arena. From what it seems, they healed most of my injuries then sent me back. How long have I been asleep?"

"Let's see, about five hours now. Are you feeling up to eating or drinking something?"

"Some tea would be nice, but I don't think I can stomach anything else for a little while yet."

"I'll bring some up, then. I want you to rest for the remainder of the day though."

"For once, that sounds nice. I wanted to catch up on some research I had been meaning to do for Sora anyway." Waving her hand, several books popped out of the air and onto her bed.

"Have fun," Queen Minnie called as she walked out the door. Once she was out of sight, she let out a huge sigh of relief. She had been thinking terrible things about what might have happened; however, none of them turned out to be true. Geni was right – she had brought back good news.

..._I wonder what's going to happen to those two if she is accepted? _Shaking her head to clear her thoughts of her recent conversation, Queen Minnie headed down the stairs and towards the kitchens.

Sora was just about to close the door behind him when he heard Geni's voice. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Just me," Sora called. "Is it okay to come in?"

"Yeah, just close the door behind you – it's a little drafty in here today." Closing the door fully, Sora walked toward the only open door and into Geni's bedroom. She was sitting up in bed in her pajamas, propped up by a few pillows, and surrounded by several large books. Sora tried to keep himself from snickering out loud; her pajamas had rainbow colored rubber duckies all over them.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I guess I just needed to catch up on some sleep. How about you?" Sora sat down in the chair that was next to her bed.

"Okay; a little disappointed that I didn't get much information out of any of the books in the Grand Library. Everything I found I already knew about."

"Here." Geni handed him a small book. "This was written by a man who had been researching the Heartless in Hollow Bastion when I was little. He was the current elder of the city when I first arrived there when I was a baby. Maybe it could help you." Sora gratefully took the book which was entitled _The Beings of Darkness _by Ansem. "It's a thorough copy of his reports – I believe you've already read them. However, this version was edited to include assumptions on other parts of his research that he didn't really dwell on."

"Looks promising considering this was the guy who released the Heartless in the first place," he said, flipping through a few pages. "Oh, Queen Minnie said she would be sending up some tea and snacks when I passed her in the hallway."

"I told her that tea was fine; oh well, I hope you're hungry at least. I don't really have an appetite for anything at the moment." She shifted her book, resuming reading the page she had left off on.

The room was silent for a moment as each sibling read, until Sora asked, "So, what are you reading?"

Without pausing her reading, she lifted up so Sora could see the cover of the book. "It's called _The Origins of Light and Dark_, written by a sage about five hundred years ago from the world of Ancient China." Bringing it back down to a readable level, she continued. "It discusses their version of natural balance, yin and yang. It says that the light and the dark must balance each other, and that the light needs the dark so that the universal balance will not become corrupt and inherently destroy itself. It also discusses the various ways we can see this at work in the natural world: light and shadow, day and night, male and female, young and old, strong and weak, happy and sad, and so on."

"Interesting," Sora said, not quite getting what she was talking about. "What kind of destruction is it talking about if there is no 'universal balance'?"

"Well, floods, fires, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, mudslides, lightening storms, droughts, black holes, supernovas, exploding stars...the usual." Geni's eyes kept flicking back and forth over each page as she spoke.

"Oh," Sora said. "Do you mean like when the darkness took over and swallowed the Destiny Islands when the Door was opened and our world was connected?"

"In a way," Geni replied, turning her page. "Each world is connected to every other world through the world's heart. You were already connected, but if someone tried to access the Destiny Islands through the world's heart, it would be like they were getting a busy signal. Once the door was opened, all the Heartless had to do was walk through it. Poof – no more Destiny Islands. However, all of the worlds' were restored when you closed the door to the darkness; each little light that you saw was a world returning to its original state – Hollow Bastion, the Destiny Islands, and many others."

"Hmm, makes sense. So when I saw Kairi standing on actual sand, that was the beginning of the restoration of the Destiny Islands?"

"Exactly. Now, if the door is still open on the islands or not I'm not sure. Most likely it is still closed and locked as are all of the other worlds you visited."

"That makes me feel better about Kairi being home even if we aren't there," Sora said with a smile. Suddenly, the twins heard someone knocking on the main door. "I'll get it," Sora said. "Coming!" Walking out into the common room and towards the main door to Geni's suite, Sora opened the door to find Queen Minnie holding a tray with a pot of water and some sandwiches on it.

"Anyone hungry or thirsty?" she asked.

"You bet!" Sora said, taking the tray from her. "Thanks Queen Minnie."

"Are you two having a good time in there?" she asked as she followed Sora into Geni's bedroom.

"Of course; we're discussing the depth of the relation between the light and the darkness and it's relation to the Heartless and Nobodies. Ugh, my head hurts from just listening to that." Geni rubbed her temples, still trying to recover from her headache.

"Well, maybe you should wait on studying and just relax for now," Queen Minnie said as she collected the books on the bed and placed them on the dressing table on the opposite side of the room. "Beds are for resting, not thinking. Now, green or chai?"

"Green, please," Geni said as Queen Minnie placed a few leaves into a cup and filled it full of steaming water. Sora grabbed a sandwich and sat back down on the chair and continued to read his book on the Heartless. "Thank you," Geni said as Queen Minnie handed her a steaming cup.

"By the way Sora, Donald and Goofy wanted me to tell you that the gummi ship is ready to go. I guess the three of you will be leaving tomorrow morning then?"

"That's the plan," Sora said, looking up from his book. Hearing this, Geni's heart fell. She was already getting used to Sora being around all of the time, like an extension of herself. She didn't mind being alone, but his presence around her made her feel...more complete, in a sense.

Sora started feeling funny while he was talking to Queen Minnie. He looked around the room for a moment; nothing was out of place, no Heartless lurking around, yet his heart felt like it was slowly withdrawing into itself. Queen Minnie was still talking about the new visitors to the castle, and Geni was drinking her tea. Wait a minute...looking closely at her, Sora realized that her eyes had changed. They weren't bright and clear like they had been before; now they were cloudy and unfocused.

"So will we see you at dinner, Sora?" Queen Minnie asked.

Thinking quickly, Sora said, "Is it alright if I have dinner in here with Geni?"

"Of course. I'll have someone from the kitchen bring some up a little later. I have to go attend to some of my duties, but I'll see you both later." Queen Minnie strolled out the door, and moments later they heard the click of the main door closing.

Finishing his sandwich, Sora turned to Geni. "You're okay with me leaving, aren't you?"

Geni finished swallowing a drink of her tea before she smiled. "Of course I am! How else is Organization XIII going to be defeated? Anyway, I'm getting a bit tired. If you don't mind, I'll think I will take a nap before dinner comes later. If you want, you can have full access to my library and other rooms." She set the teacup down onto the nightstand.

"Sure, sounds good," Sora said, not quite convinced of her lighthearted attitude. He took the teacups and leftover sandwiches, placing everything on the tray and moving it onto the dressing table. "I guess I'll see you later then," he said as he grabbed the books they had been using.

"See ya," Geni mumbled into her pillows as she sank down underneath her blankets. Sora looked back at her as he walked towards the door. Something wasn't right, something about her attitude made him seem wary about her wanting to take a nap all of a sudden. Shrugging, he walked out of the door and closed it gently behind him, heading towards Geni's library.

Geni listened as Sora walked out the door. She didn't dare move a muscle until she heard the door close. Breathing a sigh of relief, she let herself sink into the soft sheets. _I should have told him_, she thought to herself. _He has the right to know, considering. But the agreement Queen Minnie and I have with them makes that impossible – at the moment. But still…and now Sora's leaving tomorrow. What am I going to do?_ Geni buried herself in her bed coverings, trying to drown out the sound of her slowly shattering half a heart.


	14. Wanderings

Chapter 13

The hours passed slowly as Geni slept fitfully and Sora researched in her library. Around seven, Sora rubbed his tired eyes, unable to read anymore. The sun had set a while ago, but the lamp in the library was so bright it lit the whole room quite easily. Putting away all of the books and papers he had used, Sora decided to go and wake up Geni, since dinner would hopefully be there soon. Walking out of the library, he went next door to Geni's room. Deciding it would be more polite than just barging in, Sora knocked a few times. "Geni, are you awake yet?" Hearing nothing, he opened the door a crack and peeked in. Geni was still asleep on her bed, but it looked like she hadn't slept well. The sheets were all bunched up, and she was mumbling incoherently.

Tiptoeing over to the side of the bed, Sora slowly reached out his hand to shake her shoulders and wake her up when he heard what she was saying.

"No...stay away...I must protect...they can't know...Heartless...the Heartless!" It seemed Geni was caught in the thralls of a nightmare.

Sora tried waking her up. "Hey Geni, come on, wake up." He shook her shoulders and tried calling to her. "Hey, snap out of it!"

"No...must get...no...NO!" With a yell, Geni sat up. Her eyes were wide and unfocused as she swat away at her invisible foe, almost giving Sora a broken nose in the process. Sora tried to reason with her, eventually pinning her arms to the bed so she wouldn't hurt either of them.

"Geni, wake up!" he shouted into her ear.

Suddenly stopping, Geni's eyes cleared and she woke up fully. Realizing Sora was holding down her arms, she said, "Sora? What's going on? What are you doing?"

Embarrassed, Sora released his sister from the vice grip he had her in. "Well, you were having a nightmare or something, and you tried taking it out on me when I came to wake you up."

Doubly embarrassed, Geni turned red and faced away from her brother. "Oh, um, sorry about that. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, I'm fine. I was just coming to wake you up because dinner will be here soon."

"It's that late? I shouldn't have slept so long..." With a snap of her fingers, the lights in her room automatically came on. "Where did you want to eat?"

"Wherever," Sora replied.

"Okay, but first..." Geni untangled herself from her sheets and carefully stood up. "I'll be right back," she said as she headed towards her bathroom in her ducky pajamas and closed the door. A moment later Sora heard running water and splashing.

Sora went and moved the chair back over to its rightful place at Geni's dressing table. _I wonder what she was dreaming about; definitely the Heartless, who she probably wanted to stay away. But _who_ can't know _what Suddenly, something shiny caught his eye. He noticed that one of the boxes on the dressing table was slightly open. Torn between knowing he shouldn't pry and a teenage boy's curiosity, Sora opened the box open just enough to see what had caught his attention. A silver chain was attached to a heart shaped pendant. _I wonder..._ Sora thought to himself. Picking up the delicate necklace, he saw that one side of the necklace had an engraving on it. _This is Geni's pendant...the one she was found with at Hollow Bastion_. Flipping it over, he noticed that the front was split down the middle, and on each side was a tiny keyhole. _Weird; what are keyholes doing on the locket?_ Listening, Sora could still hear the water running in bathroom. Summoning his Keyblade out of his being, Sora tried using it to open the locket. However, nothing happened. _What's going on? The Keyblade is able to lock and unlock anything._ Shaking his head, he released his Keyblade and placed the necklace back into the box. He was just in time, because at that moment he heard the bathroom door open.

"Ah, much better," Geni said as she walked into the room. "Dinner here yet?"

"No, not yet," as Sora tried to look as innocent as possible.

"Okay. How did it go in the library?"

"About the same. Nothing really new that I could find. Are you feeling rested now?"

"Yes. I think catching up on my sleep today has helped. I feel like I'm ready for anything!" she said with a smile. A knock at the door interrupted her, and she walked off to the front door and opened it, revealing a kitchen worker holding a tray with a large dome on it.

"Dinner," he said pleasantly.

"Thank you, it smells delicious," Geni said. "We'll bring down the dishes ourselves." The worker nodded, and walked back down the hallway. Closing the door, Geni inhaled the aroma from the covered dish. "I wonder what tonight's dinner was?" Lifting the cover, Sora and Geni started drooling. A large, steaming, cheese and pepperoni pizza waited for them underneath.

"Alright! Pizza!" Sora shouted. Sitting on the chairs in the common room, Geni set the pizza down on the coffee table. She and Sora proceeded to eat the whole pizza hungrily – not one crumb was left. "Oh, my stomach," Sora said as he burped. "He he, excuse me."

"Go right ahead. I feel so full right now; I probably shouldn't have eaten that last piece." A tense silence filled the air. "So, you guys are leaving in the morning. Any plans on where you are going?" Geni asked, slightly apprehensive.

Sora shook his head. "Not really; we aren't sure what worlds are out there anymore besides Twilight Town, Hollow Bastion, and Disney Castle. So I guess we'll just have to prepare as best we can and hope we find some friendly faces."

"Sounds like fun," Geni said. "We'll, I had better put on some real clothes and take this back to the kitchen." Geni walked towards her bedroom and closed the door. Sora could hear her opening and closing her armoire, and in a moment she was back out in the room in a simple denim skirt that reached to her knees and a light blue knit shirt with her boots from before on her feet. Also, she had tidied up her hair; after sleeping for so long she had had a bad case of bed hair. "Are you going back to your own room, considering you've been up here most of the day?"

"Well, I do need to stretch my legs. We'll see; for now I think I'll walk down to the kitchen with you. Is that okay?"

"Of course!" Geni picked up the dishes and they headed out the door and towards the stairs. Their stroll was uneventful; they made it to the kitchen without bumping into anyone, and were heading back when they met Donald and Goofy.

"Hey Geni!" Goofy yelled out to them from down the hall. "I see your up and looking well. Did you sleep the day away?"

"Almost. I woke up earlier this afternoon, but then took a nap until a little while ago. How was your day?"

"The gummi ship is now packed, updated, and ready to go! You know we're leaving tomorrow morning, right?"

"Queen Minnie already told us," Sora said.

"We'll, since Goofy and I haven't been slacking off all day like _someone_ we know," Donald said pointedly, "We're going to bed early. We'll see you two in the morning at lift-off." Waving goodbye, Donald and Goofy headed towards their rooms in the left wing of the castle.

"I wasn't slacking off," Sora said, pretending to be put off. "_I_ also wasn't the one sleeping all day," he said with a laugh.

"Yeah, sure," Geni replied with a forced laugh. "Hey, Sora?"

"Yes?"

"Um, never mind. I'm going for a walk so I'll see you later or tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Sure," Sora replied. "I guess I'll head back to my room and make sure I have everything I'll need. See you later." Geni nodded, and then headed off towards the northern wing of the palace.

_Something is definitely up_, Sora thought to himself. _I wonder if I should follow her, just in case_. Deciding this might help him figure out what was wrong with her, Sora crept quietly behind her, keeping out of her line of sight.

Geni walked down many hallways until she came to a door with a circular window in it. Opening it, Sora could see a large garden light with soft lights here and there. Flowers were blooming all over the place, and the night stars were twinkling high above them. Geni kept walking on the stone pathway until she turned a corner and a bush obscured her from Sora's sight. Racing to catch up with her, Sora realized that the bush was part of a huge wall running down the side of the garden. Looking all around he saw the bushes everywhere. The garden Geni had walked into was actually one of those vast hedge mazes. _Oh great, now what am I going to do?_ Sora thought.

Geni smiled when she felt Sora's presence halt, no longer following her. She knew he had followed her ever since she had left him inside the castle. Knowing that Sora was new to the maze, while she knew it inside and out, left her hoping that she could find some time to be alone and think. Twisting and turning until anyone would have gotten dizzy and lost, Geni came upon a fountain. A winged horse with its wings stretched out stood magnificently in the center, seeming to have been trapped mid-flight in stone. A few lights in the bottom of the pool illuminated only part of the maze, but there was enough darkness to hide anyone wishing to be alone. Walking to a bench in a far corner away from the lights, Geni sat down.

_What am I going to do? I can't tell Sora I don't want him to leave. He needs to continue his quest for the sake of all of the other worlds' out there. But...I don't want to be stuck here again either. The King is still missing, in a sense, and Riku..._ Here her train of thought stopped, and she let herself smile and be happy for a moment. _Riku is doing his own thing, as usual. I know doesn't want to tell Sora anything yet, and he's probably right. He'll have to wait for the right moment for an explanation. I do miss him, though._ Geni stared up at the stars, smiling and remembering the first time she had meet Riku nearly eight months ago…

_Geni had finished her rotation at guard duty, and headed back to her room inside of the castle. Her days were monotonous ever since she had been deceived into the Organization: guard duty, training, eating, and sleeping. She never left the castle, and the other members barely spoke to her except to give her an order. Well, except two. Axel, the member whom Geni assumed had scorched his brain long ago, and the thirteenth member who every so often spoke to her. She had never seen him with his hood off, but he was at least polite to her. Those two made her smile on the inside, even if her outward physical reactions were controlled through the spell on her heart._

_Ugh, that spell. Geni was still herself, looking from the inside out, and was able to see and hear everything her alter ego did. And did it do some awful things. Geni tried again and again to break the spell, but she was not powerful enough; her magic and other abilities had been greatly impaired and locked away when the dark half of her heart was _bestowed_ upon her by Number One. Of course, the other her was an exact duplicate, so sometimes she could break through. However, that was less often than not._

_Tonight before guard duty she had been sparring with Demyx, with his water sitar. Probably the only decent thing she got out of it was a cold shower. Entering her room, she closed and locked the door behind her. She unzipped her black Organization cloak and hung it up. Underneath all she had on were a black tank top and a pair of black pants, plus those clunky boots they all find so fascinating that are _not_ comfortable whatsoever._

_Following her same nightly ritual, she washed up and brushed her teeth then went straight to bed. Her prison cell, also known as her room, had only a bed, a cloak rack, and a sink with a mirror. Everything was grey or white, and of course that strange looking symbol for the Nobodies was everywhere. Lying down on the mattress, she tried to cover up as best as possible with the thin and too small blanket she had been given._

_Sleep…it was the only time Geni could escape her daily prison and enjoy the feeling of doing what she wanted without it being for the good of the Organization. Lately, she had been finding herself on what seemed like a tropical island. It was always night time, which made sense considering she was asleep when she arrived there. She could wear her old clothes, or whatever she wanted to. Considering the island was surrounded by water, she often went swimming. Little did she know that tonight would be the night that would change her world forever._

_Opening her eyes to find herself on the beach once again, Geni heaved a sigh of relief. She mentally changed her outfit from her black ensemble to a pair of red Bermuda shorts and a white tank top with a small short-sleeved bolero jacket. It was warm, but a soft breeze played with the hair around her face. Stretching, she let her gaze wander towards the twinkling night sky. "Too bad there aren't any stars where I am," Geni thought sadly. She waded out into the cold water with her bare feet and wiggled her toes in the wet sand. "I wonder if Sora ever did this back on the Destiny Islands…"_

_Little did Geni know she was being watched, even in her dreams. An individual in black was examining her from the protective covering of the jungle flora. Of course, all they could see was a small figure with short spiky hair – Geni's braid was over her shoulder instead of down her back and so not in their sight. "Is that…could that be Sora?" he thought to himself. Deciding the question was worth the chance that it could be a Nobody from the Organization trying to trick him, he stepped forward. Walking slowly and softly across the sand so as not to make a sound, the being crept up on Geni without her knowing. When they were only ten feet away, they ventured to speak. "Sora? Is that you?"_

_Geni spun around in shock to find another person in her dream sanctuary. "Who…who are you? Stay away from me!" She back up farther into the water. However, the person audaciously splashed out towards her and grabbed her shoulders forcefully._

_"Sora, wait, it's me! It's Riku!" He through back his hood, revealing a young man with very dark skin with silvery-white hair, his eyes glowing a fiery orange. "I know I look different, but it's me!" he said with a deep voice._

_Geni swatted his hands away and stepped even farther back. "I think you've made a grave mistake," she said, leering at him. "My name is not Sora. And _I _am _not_ a boy, thank you very much." She flipped her head around so her braid came swinging around into focus._

_Riku, his identity now known to a complete stranger, stepped back with caution and readied himself for battle, just in case. "Who are you? Another Nobody like Roxas? Why do you look like Sora then?"_

_"I should be asking _you_ that! But wait…you said your name was…Riku? Does that mean you are from the Destiny Islands like Sora and Kairi?"_

_"How do you know that?" Riku said, relaxing his stance slightly._

_"You and Sora both fought bravely to return Kairi's heart to her; Sora battling his way to Hollow Bastion with the Keyblade, and a person named Riku who used the power of darkness to find the seven princesses of heart to do the same. Are you him?" Geni asked, her hands on her hips._

_"I am," Riku said. "Now, how do you know all that? Are you friend or foe?"_

_"To Sora, a friend and much more. I am Sora's twin sister and my name is Geni; nice to meet you Riku." Riku stared open-mouthed at this human shaped illusion, this thing trying to play with his mind._

_"Ha, yeah right. Sora was an only child, he never had a sister. You must be a Nobody trying to trick me, as I thought." Riku materialized his Keyblade, The Way to the Dawn. "Nice try." Riku lunged forward, trying to destroy what he thought was a Nobody in a single blow._

_"Hey! Stop that!" Geni shouted. She narrowly missed his first thrust, but ended up falling back into the water on her rear end. Riku saw this opening and swung around for another thrust. Geni could only try and protect herself as best she could, using her arms to shield her face and body. She waited for the final blow, her half a heart pounding rapidly, knowing now and regretting the fact that she would never be able to meet her brother face to face. Moments passed, and Geni peeked slowly through her shielded arms. Riku's Keyblade was inches from her, his attack stopped in mid-thrust._

_Riku slowly lowered and brought back his Keyblade. Geni lowered her arms, still watching him with tense eyes. Suddenly, Riku diminished his Keyblade and knelt down in front of her. Before she could react, Riku reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly._

_"Hey, that hurts! Let go!" Geni cried, trying to pull her hand back. Riku knelt there, his eyes closed, his body stiff. Suddenly, his body relaxed, and he let her arm go. She snapped it back to her like a rubber band, her arms instinctively crossing over her front like a shield._

_Riku opened his eyes and studied what he now knew as a human girl in front of him. Same brown spiky hair, same blue eyes, same face. She couldn't be lying…could she? "I apologize," Riku said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."_

_Geni lowered her arms, unsure of what to do. The two sat in the cold water, staring at each other for what seemed like eternity. Her wrist still hurt, and she could see a large red mark and a little bruising as well. "Sure," she said hesitantly._

_Riku saw the mark, and reached into a pocket on his cloak. Geni, seeing this action and still unsure of what to do, impulsively scooted back farther in the water. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," he said with his hands raised in surrender, in one hand a piece of cloth. Slowly moving forward, he reached Geni and gently pulled her arm towards him. Her brain moving at a snail's pace, Geni allowed her arm to be taken into Riku's kind hands. He took the cloth and wrapped it around the welt on her wrist, tying it carefully after he was finished so it would not fall off. "See? I'm not one of the bad guys."_

_Geni withdrew her arm back, her other hand covering the small wound. "I guess not…" she said before she let out a large sneeze._

_"Are you okay?" he asked, raising an eyebrow._

_She shivered, her teeth chattering slightly. "Yeah, the water's just…a little colder than I remember tonight." She tried standing up, but almost immediately toppled forward. Strong arms caught her, also catching her voice as she looked up into Riku's. "Um…" she tried to articulate, her face slightly flushed._

_Riku looked away, but not before Geni noticed the blush beginning to form on his own face. "You'll catch a cold out here," he mumbled. He turned towards shore, Geni following directly behind him. Walking onto the warm sand, Geni sneezed several more times. Looking up finally, something black was shoved in front of her face. "Put this on before you freeze to death, or something," Riku said as he looked toward the jungle._

_Hesitantly, Geni took the cloak from his outstretched hand and put it around her. It was warm from Riku's body heat, making Geni shiver slightly from the touch before wrapping it even tighter around her shoulders. "Thanks," she said with a smile._

_Riku looked at her, recognizing a smaller form of the goofy grin that usually adorned his best friend's face. "You weren't lying, were you? About being Sora's twin sister, I mean. I had to check to see if you were a Nobody, and I'm sorry if I hurt you doing it."_

_Geni shook her head. "It's alright. Having a heartbeat is the only thing that really separates us from those in the Organization anyway." A tense silence filled the air between them; Geni felt she could trust Riku, but a part of her warned her to stay away. "Could I...ask you a question?"_

_"What is it?" Riku asked, staring at her._

_"I don't mean to be rude, but I thought you and Sora were the same age; why do you look so much older than he does?"_

_Riku's eyes became downcast as Geni finished her question. "It's...a long story. Suffice to say, to help Sora I had to assume this form; this is not what I really look like."_

_"Oh," Geni said. "Well, let me change so I won't be confused with Sora." Geni closed her eyes, concentrating on her wardrobe. When she opened them, she was now wearing the clothes she wore when she had left the Disney Castle._

_"Nice trick," Riku said. "I suppose, considering this is your dream world, you can do whatever you want to."_

_Geni shook her head. "It's not just mine."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You're here, which means somehow my dreams are being intersected by yours. You can do just as much here as I can." Geni smiled at Riku before she sneezed once again._

_"You're not getting a cold, are you? Is that possible in a dream?"_

_"Well, my immune system is not like that of normal people; it's been severely lessened because of..." Here, she stopped, not wanting to tell Riku everything. She turned around and faced the water. "Never mind."_

_Riku wondered why she had stopped; she seemed perfectly healthy to him, and even her physical heartbeat was very strong when he had felt it. He walked up behind her, and said, "What's wrong? I'm sure it's nothing terrible."_

_Geni continued to face away from him, pulling his cloak around her shoulders even tighter. She was trying not to cry – she promised herself she never would about this. Try as she might, one little tear crept down her cheek._

_Riku saw her body go rigid and her hands tighten around the black fabric. He was about to reach out to her when he heard her mumble, "I never wanted to be this way; I never wanted to be a burden." He stretched out his hand and grabbed one of her shoulders, spinning her to face him._

_"What are you talking about?" Geni looked at him with moist eyes, wanting so much to trust _someone_ here; her isolation within her own body made her want physical contact with someone so badly._

_"It's...it's nothing, never mind me." She forced herself to smile at him, hiding herself while trying to reveal herself at the same time._

_"You're strange," Riku said bluntly. "You definitely weren't lying when you said you were Sora's sister."_

_"I am not!" she said indignantly, all thoughts lost on their previous conversation. "You are a jerk Riku, you know that?" Geni took off his cloak and threw it at him, then proceeded to stomp away. The cloak landed on Riku's head, completely obscuring his vision._

_He had it coming_, she giggled to herself. Even so, she and Riku had met several times a week since then and had become good friends. At first, it was strained with things waiting to be said, but once they began talking it was hard to stop. Geni told Riku all about her life at Disney Castle, her abduction into the Organization and its dull life. Riku told her about the Destiny Islands, his naiveté about the darkness, the trek through Castle Oblivion, why he looks the way he does now and its relation to walking Sora up. They were beings of light hidden away in the dark; their hearts finding each other was only a small part that they would play in the scheme of the universe.

As Geni was reminiscing, she was completely unaware that someone had followed her as was now hiding behind a bush not too far from her. The darkness hid them so well that it could not be discerned what they were wearing or whether it was a man or woman. They were kneeling, watching Geni's dimly lit face glow from the soft lights of the fountain. Standing up, they snuck around the side of the bushes until they were right behind Geni in an archway next to the bench. Creeping up slowly and silently, they snaked their arm around Geni's face before they clamped it down on her mouth.

Geni's eyes shot open and she tried to scream, however the large hand was cutting off her vocal chords. She struggled to free herself, using her hands to pry away the hand at her mouth.

"Shorty," it said in a deep voice. At once, Geni stopped, knowing who it was. She dropped her arms and quit struggling, her voice now quiet. The hand was removed, and Geni stood up and turned around quickly.

"You're here!" she whispered happily. The being walked around the bench, the darkness still obscuring their form.

"Of course – even the Cornerstone can't keep me away for long," it said. "Although, because of it, I can't stay here for very long. Lucky me you decided to take a walk far from the castle."

Geni walked up to individual and snaked her arms around them, hugging them tightly. "I missed you so much," she murmured. Large arms encircled her, returning the gesture.

"I know, I'm sorry; I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to contact you since I found out you woke at Hollow Bastion. I went there first, but you had already left with Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"Either inside the castle or wandering around here somewhere," Geni replied into their chest. "I can't sense him anywhere near here, so he must either be waiting for me back at the entrance or inside."

The person nodded, then broke the hug and sat down on the bench. Geni followed suite, and they sat there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. "So," Geni said, the first to speak, "Have you found what you were looking for yet?"

They shook their head. "Not yet, but I feel I'm getting close. Once Sora begins traversing the worlds, whatever the Organization is planning will probably begin as well. I won't be able to help him, but I'll do what I can. You haven't told him anything, have you?"

This time Geni shook her head. "I haven't, just as you asked. But what about when he finds out the truth about what happened? I know Sora has a good heart, but..."

"We'll just have to trust him," they finished. Suddenly, the being flickered slightly. "Damn it, I guess the Cornerstone is trying to get rid of me again." They turned to Geni and grabbed her hands. "Promise me you'll stay out of trouble until this is all over, okay? Stay here at the castle; don't go wandering off to other worlds, alright?"

Geni looked at him indignantly. "Don't treat me like a child," she said sullenly.

Squeezing her hands, they said, "I only want you to be safe. If...you do leave, just please, _please_, be careful? For me?"

Geni smiled and nodded. "Of course, but you have to promise me as well. Deal?"

"You got it, shorty," they said. Standing up, they walked toward the archway. The individual raised their hand and a dark portal appeared. "I'll be back soon," they said.

"You had better," Geni said, a lump in her throat. The taller person ruffled her hair for a moment, and then proceeded to walk through the doorway where they and it vanished moments after. Geni watched the now empty walkway for a moment, relishing the warmth the person had given her. She wondered if he knew she had needed to see him that badly, or if he had been watching her, protecting her as he always had.

Smiling, her heart feeling full of hope, Geni made her way back through the maze towards Sora. She felt him waiting at the entrance, as she had expected. Walking out from the path, she saw Sora was sitting on one of the benches, twiddling his thumbs. Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see Geni walking towards him. He was halfway standing when she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sora, there's something I need to tell you," she began. Sora sat back down, all questions lost. "You must have noticed my unhappiness, otherwise you wouldn't have followed me. I'm sad that you have to leave so soon; I wanted to spend more time with you, more time getting to know you. But I realized that your quest is more important than that, and that afterwards we would have all the time in the world for catching up. So I don't want you worrying about me. I'll be waiting here for you to return after kicking the Organization's butt, and you had better, okay?" She smiled at him, looking happier than she had been all day.

Sora grinned at her. "I don't know what changed your attitude but I'm glad for whatever did it. I _was_ worried about leaving you here, but not anymore. I guess a walk in some fresh air was the best medicine for you after all. Although, it's getting a little chilly out here – want to head inside?"

"Yeah," Geni said as she rubbed her arms. Standing up, they walked inside. As Geni closed the door behind them, she looked out once more into the garden, sending a mental thank you to her friend. Walking through the castle, almost everyone was asleep or heading to bed. After all, it was almost ten o'clock. Reaching the grand staircase, they headed their separate ways.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning then," Sora said.

"Pleasant dreams," Geni called as they parted. And for once, both of them did.

Early the next morning, Geni, Sora, Lady Daisy, Donald, Goofy, Max, and Queen Minnie waited on the platform as the gummi ship went through its final launch sequence.

"Now be careful, all of you," Queen Minnie reminded them. "I want you reporting your progress daily to gummi control."

"We will, Queen Minnie," Goofy said.

"And Donald, don't forget about our next date! You had better not miss this one this time! And no excuses!"

"Of course Daisy," Donald said, shaking his head. "I'll try."

"You be careful too, Sora," Geni said. "Oh, and I have something for you."

"What is it?" Sora asked, always liking presents.

Geni stepped forward. "Close your eyes," she said. Sora complied, and he could feel Geni slipping something around his neck. "Look."

Sora opened his eyes, and looked down. A tiny crystal hung on a silver chain, inscribed with various symbols he didn't recognize. Lifting it up, he could see the crystal was clear, but it glowed a light purple. "It's beautiful. What is it?"

"It's a connection crystal," she said as she pulled out one she had been wearing underneath her shirt. "The people who wear them will always be connected to each other; no matter how far apart they are, as long as the crystal glows." Geni's crystal was glowing a cool blue.

"I'll take good care of it," Sora said, slipping it under his shirt as Geni had. "We'll be back soon to visit, so take care until then." Sora came forward and the twins hugged; both had grown so much in the last few days.

"I will," Geni said as they came apart. Donald and Daisy also shared a quick embrace, as well as Goofy and his son Max.

"We'll be back soon, your majesty! Take care of everyone until then!" Donald shouted as the three began to board the gummi ship. As the ship's hatch closed, the rockets began to hum loudly.

Two squeaky voices came over the hanger intercom. "Please evacuate the hanger floor! Move to the viewing platform as the gummi ship is about to fire its rockets!" Chip and Dale said. The group quickly walked over to the stairway and up one level to the viewing platform. The gummi ship had lit its preliminary rockets and was hovering over the platform. Two large gates slid aside in the wall ahead of them, illuminating the runway. The main rockets began to fire, and the gummi ship began to move toward the opening.

As the main rockets completely fired, Geni ran to the edge of the platform. "Goodbye guys! Come back and visit us soon!" she shouted as she waved towards them. She could see Sora waving back to her from the cockpit, but only momentarily, as the gummi ship blasted through to the runway and outside. The force blew a fierce wind through the hangar, ruffling hair and skirts. Watching them fade into the distance, Geni whispered, "Please be safe – all of you."


	15. Interim

Interim

And so Sora, Donald, and Goofy journeyed forth into the unknown, reaching worlds familiar and new. They visited the Land of Dragons and battled alongside Mulan, found Belle with the Beast in his castle, Hercules defending the Olympus Coliseum from Hades, Pooh had completely lost his memory within the 100 Acre Woods, Ariel still trying her father's patience, Aladdin attempting to impress Jasmine, Jack Skelington trying to be Santa Claus, Captain Jack Sparrow battling zombie pirates, and Simba trying to oust Scar from the Pride Lands. They also went back to the Disney Castle for a quick visit when thorns and Heartless overran the castle. Going back in time to the Timeless River, they prevented the Cornerstone of Light from being taken by Pete for Maleficent's evil purposes. However, for all the good that the trio had been doing, little did they know that they were falling right into the trap the Organization had set for them.

In a massive castle nestled between the realms of light and dark existed the realm of nothingness, the home of the Nobodies. Here the remaining members of Organization XIII plotted the downfall of the Keybearer and the new age of darkness. Sitting in a room of thirteen chairs, all varying in their heights, sat six people in black cloaks.

"Concerning No. VIII, he is no longer a member of this esteemed Organization. Trying to reveal the truth about Roxas to Sora could have complicated our already complex plans. If he is found, he is to be terminated on sight. Understood?"

"Yes," replied the others.

"Now, about the Keybearer. How has he been progressing?" the Nobody sitting on the highest chair asked. His chair read No. I, and he was talking to No. II at the moment.

"He so far has been oblivious to our plan. He has visited eleven worlds so far, and has released large quantities of hearts in each. However, with Axel's interference, he has almost betrayed our true intentions to him before the time was right. If we can keep them separated, the plan should still be able to work out quite well."

"Good," drawled No. I. "And the plans involving the takeover of Hollow Bastion for the use of the machine?"

This time, No. IX answered. "We are amassing the Heartless and Dusks outside of the city limits. We have kept the citizens on a false sense of security by keeping them out of the city and from attacking anyone. When the time is right, we will destroy their bailey and storm the city, collecting more hearts than we have ever collected before. Also, with the Keybearer and his friends occupied, we can slip into the castle and retrieve the machine and all of the necessary documentation without any guests."

"Excellent," No. I replied. "No. IX, you will oversee the invasion of Hollow Bastion. Finally, how is your investigation into the recent events at Twilight Town coming, No. VII?"

"It seems that Riku and the man called DiZ were the ones who created the basement under the old mansion where they were hiding Sora, Donald, and Goofy in large sleeping pods until that witch Naminé fixed their memories. It seems that is also where Roxas was taken to be rejoined with Sora."

"And what of King Mickey?"

"Unfortunately, no sign of him as of yet. We tracked him to Hollow Bastion when No. XIV was released, but soon after her awakening he disappeared. The Heartless and Dusks tracked him through the city until he used a dark portal. From there, we lost him inside the corridors connecting the portals."

"I see," said No. I. "He, even more than Axel, could disrupt our plans for the Keybearer. If at all possible, eliminate him as well."

"I will do my best," said No. VII.

"This concludes our briefing. Each of you has chosen from the target worlds' the one that each of you will use to coerce its residents into darkness?"

No. IX replied, "Besides the conquering of Hollow Bastion, the Coliseum with its Netherworld."

No. III replied, "The world where the princess of heart Belle resides with her companion the Beast. His curse should be easy to manipulate into turning him against her."

No. II replied, "The Land of Dragons – a people called the Huns are ready for an invasion and could use a little...help."

No. X replied, "A cursed chest on an island near Port Royale could turn greedy human men into the perfect servants for us."

"Good. Then we will continue with our original plans. Any changes or unwanted interruptions, deal with swiftly. Go, and let us begin our new existence!" No. I waved his hand, and the other five members of the Organization disappeared into their own black portals. "Now, as for myself, I believe I will go and watch this spectacle for myself. Even if I cannot feel joy or happiness at the downfall of the Keybearer and his underlings." And so the leader of Organization XIII disappeared as well.

As the Organization continued with its plans, Sora, Donald, and Goofy had reached Twilight Town to check up on Hayner, Olette, and Pence. To Sora's joy and dismay, they told him that Kairi had come looking for him in Twilight Town. She had been thrown out of one of the dark portals along with the dog Pluto. After telling them her story, Axel reappeared and kidnapped Kairi, taking her to who knows where through yet another black portal. After reassuring the trio it wasn't their fault that Kairi was kidnapped, Sora left again.

_I guess I'll have to change my promise to Geni_, Sora thought as they boarded the gummi ship. _Now I have to find and bring Riku, Kairi, _and_ Geni back to the Destiny Islands_. Strapping himself in, they blasted off once again into the black pool of space.

As they were flying, the two squeaky voices of Chip and Dale came over the radio transmitter. "Hey you guys! Something bad is happening in Hollow Bastion; it's completely covered in darkness! You had better hurry up and get over there right away – the gang might need you; plus, Geni went to visit Aerith and them there yesterday, and we haven't received any word from them since!"

"What?!" Sora shouted. "Donald!"

"I know, I know! Changing directions south by southwest – preparing gummi ship for hyperspace!" Donald fiddled with the controls until the stars around them began to turn into lines as the ship sped up to incredible speeds. "We'll be reaching Hollow Bastion in ten minutes. Prepare for a rushed landing!"

_Hold on guys_, Sora thought. _We'll be there as fast as we can. Just hold on until then; Geni, you had _better_ be safe._


	16. Save Hollow Bastion!

Chapter 14

As the gummi ship raced through the depths of space, chaos and destruction reigned upon the once peaceful city of Hollow Bastion. Organization XIII was about to enact one of their greatest schemes to date: the invasion and takeover of Hollow Bastion, in order to retrieve the machine that creates Heartless and the documentation concerning the aforementioned. Minor earthquakes had been plaguing the town for two days, causing minor destruction and little injury; however, with each passing tremor, the earthquakes began to get larger. Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, and Merlin had set up an evacuation site in the town square away from all of the buildings that could collapse onto the evacuating citizens. Geni also just happened to be visiting the day before the earthquakes started, and remained to help with any injuries and the evacuation of the populace to the center of the city. The Heartless and Dusks had not stormed the city yet, but their numbers were increasing exponentially outside of the city walls.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy landed in the suburb just outside of Merlin's house, near the bailey. It was eerily quiet; a sound from neither person nor animal was to be heard.

"Where is everybody?" Sora asked aloud.

"I don't know," Goofy replied. "Are they all playing hide and seek?"

"Oh," Donald warbled at Goofy. "The monitor said Hollow Bastion was covered in darkness, which means that everyone is probably hiding somewhere safe from all of the Heartless and Nobodies." Just then, the door to Merlin's house creaked open and Yuffie stepped outside.

"Hey guys! You're just in time!" she shouted. Running over to them, she continued. "Leon and the king are over at the castle postern; we think we've found the lab Ansem was using to produce the Heartless! When you're done with that, you can help the evacuees in the town square. Everyone else is over there now." Just then, the ground began to heave and rumble. "Uh oh, hang on everybody!" The earth shook under their feet, causing Goofy to dive to the ground and cover his head. In less than a minute, the tremor stopped.

"Yuffie, what's going on? Why is Hollow Bastion having an earthquake?" Sora cried.

"Not just one, dozens! This has been going on since yesterday; and every time we have an earthquake they seem to get bigger and bigger!"

"What's causing them?" Donald asked.

"We don't know! Hollow Bastion has never had earthquakes before; Leon thinks it might have something to do with the Heartless and Dusks swarming around outside of the city walls. I have to go and help everybody in the town square, so head over to the castle postern." Yuffie turned and started running towards the center of the city.

"Wait, Yuffie! Where's Geni?" Sora shouted after her.

Yuffie turned and yelled back, "She's at the first aid station in the town square helping with any injured citizens. She's fine – now get going!"

"Okay guys, let's go," Sora said. The trio began to run towards the bailey. Running up the stairs and inside of the darkened passageway, they came upon three small treasure hunters: Yuna, Rikku, and Paine.

"Excuse me," said a tiny voice. "Are you three with the Restoration Committee?" Sora looked around, and finally saw three small flying people in front of him. "What are Leon and his friends up to?"

"They have things to do over by the castle postern," Sora said, looking at them curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Scoop! Yeah! Let's report." The three small people started flying around excitedly.

"Report to whom?" Donald asked.

"Our leader, of course!" the person with the long yellow scarf replied. "It's Malefi–" she squeaked out before the dark-haired person covered her mouth.

"Don't mind her. Now, let's get going." The solemn person vanished in swirl of light, followed by her two friends.

"What was up with them?" Sora wondered. Donald and Goofy shook their heads, and they continued on towards the castle postern. Little did they know that Organization XIII were not the only ones after Ansem's machine. Running along a very familiar passageway, the same one in which Sora had followed Geni only a few weeks before, they soon came to an old dilapidated castle. Walking inside, the walls were dreary with decay, and not much of the castle had escaped the ravages of time. The many hallways led them to a bright room, one that had been well kept, but was still quite messy. Books lay strewn about the floor, glass cylinders had been smashed, and spiders with their lacy cobwebs had taken residence on the shelves.

Looking around, Sora noticed a familiar face on a nearby painting. Taking a closer glimpse, he noticed how different the two faces really were. "Ansem..."

"I guess this must have been his room," Goofy said as he studied some of the items on a bookshelf.

"Is the king here?" Donald asked. "Hello? Anybody there?"

"Hey, you!" The three jumped, turning around to see a young woman dressed in black behind them. She wore a black tank top with a black skort attached to an even longer black skirt on the back of it. She also had on a pair of high heeled high kicks with black gloves. "Have you seen a guy with really spiky hair?" Sora tugged at his own locks for a moment, making the girl laugh. "Spikier. Mind if I look around?" Without waiting for an answer, she went around the room, knocking on the walls, looking under the desk, even kickboxing one of the walls. "Sorry to bother you," she said as she smiled and walked out.

"Who was that?" Sora wondered. By the look of her, Sora didn't want to see what happened if anyone crossed her.

"So you made it," a deep voice said behind them. Turning, Sora saw that Leon was standing next to an empty wall where he hadn't been only moments before. "Follow me." Pressing on a panel next to him, the wall opened up to reveal a hidden door. Walking down a metal passageway, they came to some kind of lab with a large computer inside.

"What is this place?" Sora asked Leon.

"We happened to find it when the earthquakes started yesterday. The lock on the door must have been sensitive to vibrations, and it opened during one of the first earthquakes. We've been trying to access the data inside, but the going has been quite slow."

"I wonder..." Sora said as he ran up to the computer and started typing. "Where's Kairi? Where's Riku?" He began pounding on the keys when the computer would not give him an answer.

"Hey, easy! You want to break it?" Leon reprimanded.

"Oh, sorry. Guess I got a little carried away," Sora said sheepishly.

Goofy was looking around the lab when he noticed some movement high above him. "What's that?!" Goofy cried, looking up towards the ceiling. A little blue fuzzy creature was crawling along the ceiling with large claws. However, it seems that its claws were not strong enough to keep him up there, and the creature fell onto the computer.

"Get offa there!" Donald shouted before he jumped up and tried to chase the little creature away. His webbed feet clicking across the keyboard, a warning sound came over the intercom.

"Attention current user. This is a warning. Further misuse of this terminal will result in immediate defensive action," said a robotic voice.

"Who's there?" Goofy said, his voice slightly trembling.

"I am the Master Control Program; I oversee this system." Donald tried stepping off of the keyboard, but ended up typing on more keys instead. The warning sound got even louder now. "Decision gate reached – you are now under arrest."

"DONALD!"

"I'm sorry!"

Suddenly, Leon noticed that a circular panel behind them was beginning to glow. Sensing danger, he yelled "Run!" However, it was too late. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were struck with a laser beam that disconfigured their physical data and dematerialized them into the world of Space Paranoids.

Now inside of the computer, they met a security program named Tron who told them about the Master Control Program taking over. His user, Ansem the Wise, would be able to unlock the data space known as the DTD and allow Tron to access his backup programs. Once done, he could delete the Master Control Program and allow the users to have free reign over the system once more. Also, in helping Tron, Sora, Donald, and Goofy would be able to have access to all of Ansem's research once they figured out the correct password. With Tron's help, they managed to rematerialize themselves in the real world and went in search of the password.

Figuring that the password would be somewhere within Ansem's room, they began looking through books, papers, anything that had been written on. While doing so, the girl in black from before came around looking for her friend again. Lifting off the portrait of Ansem, she punched the wall behind it looking for yet another secret doorway of some kind. However, behind the painting were drawings of a heart surrounded by machinery of some kind. Once she left, Sora began to study the doodle more closely.

"What is this? Part of Ansem's research?"

"Hollow...main...security...Tron...door to..." Donald began to decipher all of the words written on the wall.

"Looks like a diagram of some kind," Goofy mused.

"Door...to...darkness?!" Donald finished, surprised.

"Oh! I get it! DTD stands for the door to darkness!" Sora said, pointing at each of the letters as he spoke them. "This must be what the data space is!"

"What is?" Leon said as he joined the group. He had still been in the computer lab, trying to unlock the system. "Well, what do you know. However, that still leaves the password."

"Say, fellas, did someone mention the door to darkness?" a squeaky voice said. Spinning around, the group saw King Mickey standing in the doorway.

"Your majesty!" they all shouted. King Mickey shushed them, looking around before he closed the door behind him.

"Long time no see!" Sora added as Donald and Goofy hugged their little monarch senseless.

"Shh! The Organization might be listening!" he warned as he gently pried Donald and Goofy off of him. "So what's this about the door to darkness?"

"Uh-yuck, yes sir. You see, we've been looking for the password," Goofy briefed King Mickey.

"Hmm, like a code, I suppose. Well, the door to darkness can only be opened by the seven princesses of heart. They would be Jasmine, Belle, Snow White, Alice, Cinderella, Aurora, and of course Kairi. What are you trying to do?"

"With that password, we can get access to Ansem's research data," Sora replied.

"So that means you might be able to find out where he is!"

"Quit fooling around, your majesty. We've already defeated Ansem, you know that." Sora looked at King Mickey like he had lost his marbles.

"Oops, looks like I still have a lot of explaining to do…"

"First though, Tron is still waiting for the three of you, so get going," Leon interrupted, walking towards the computer lab. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked from Leon to King Mickey, wondering what to do first. Help Tron or find out the truth about Ansem?

"Don't worry, I'll still be here when you get back. We can talk then." Nodding, the three walked back and dematerialized themselves back into Tron's world. Giving the password to Tron, they headed towards the data space where Tron downloaded his backup program and was as good as new. However, the Master Control Program accessed the data space as well, allowing him to take over the entire system. It also found the emergency destruct program for the town, which it almost initiated. Tron changed the password just in time, allowing for the four of them to reach the I/O tower to stall the Master Control Program and to try and stop it from destroying Hollow Bastion. Once there, Tron began the arduous task of trying to take the system control away from the Master Control Program. Sora, Donald, and Goofy left with the new password – their names, thanks to their new friend Tron. Tron then sent them back to the user world so they could access the DTD and find out about Ansem's research.

Arriving back to find a thank you message from Tron, the group decided to access the DTD immediately. While Leon went to work on the computer, Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked around for King Mickey.

"The king is checking the situation in town. He'll be back soon, so don't worry. Hey, the log in is asking for a password. You guys know anything about this?"

"Of course! It's Sora!" said person shouted.

"Donald!"

"And Goofy!"

"That is…to the point. That did it – we're in." Leon turned towards Sora. "I have to go into town. There was an earthquake, stronger than the last ones, while you were inside the computer. I need to see what kind of damage it might have caused. Can you start loading the data and copying it down?" Sora looked at Leon with a raised eyebrow. "Hey, don't give me that look – it's just a few keystrokes. Easy, right?" Leon placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "Good luck!" he called over his shoulder as he walked out.

Sora groaned. "Maybe not for you, but I haven't taken a computer class since my middle school computer basics class." Walking up to the computer, Sora – with his horrible typing abilities (come on, one finger at a time?) – began to search for any references to Kairi and Riku. After a few minutes of processing, the computer screen showed a large box that read "Data Error." "No way; even Ansem's computer doesn't know." Sora walked away, his shoulders hunched in defeat. Sora went over to the far wall; leaning against it, he slumped down onto the floor and put his head on his knees. _What am I going to do? Kairi's been kidnapped, and Riku...who knows what could have happened to him?_ Suddenly, his chest felt warm. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out the crystal Geni had given him before they had left. The purple glow was slowly pulsing, giving off a slight heat. Wrapping his hand around it, he began to feel better.

At that same moment far from Sora in the center of the city, Geni's necklace began to pulse and heat up as well. Geni smiled, knowing the pulsing reaction meant that Sora was in Hollow Bastion. Hoping he was doing well, and that she might see him soon, Geni went back to putting a band aid on a little boy's finger. He had cut it on a piece of glass when his bedroom window had been broken. Many other people with minor cuts and injuries had come to the first aid tent that morning; thank goodness no major injuries had been reported yet. Sending the little boy off with a sucker, Geni pulled out her own crystal that was pulsing blue and held it tightly, hoping Sora was alright.

As Sora was sitting by the wall contemplating, Goofy had been fiddling with the computer. "Whatcha doing?" Donald asked him.

"I thought I might ask the computer if it could tell us about the Nobodies," he replied as he typed, concentrating hard. Using the same prowess at typing Sora had, Goofy actually found some information on the Nobodies.

"What's this?" asked Sora as he peered at a strange shape on the computer screen.

"The data is corrupt."

"Hmm, how about the Organization?" Goofy began typing again.

The computer began processing again, but after a moment, once again replied "The data is corrupt."

"Stupid computer!" Sora began whacking the keyboard in frustration. Many different boxes of data appeared and were jumbled, until a picture of an older man with long blonde hair wearing a red scarf appeared. "Who's this guy?" Sora wondered. The three peered closely at the screen.

"Welp, I see you all got things working!" a small voiced said happily. Sora, Donald, and Goofy turned around to see that King Mickey had come back. "The data inside should tell us all we need to know."

"But the computer says the data is all mixed up. All we found is a picture of a man we don't know," Goofy said.

King Mickey stepped forward and studied the screen. Jumping up in the air, he cried "Ansem the Wise!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at each other and sighed again. "Come on, are you teasing us again, your majesty?" Sora moaned.

"Did you forget what Ansem looked like?" Donald added.

"Of course not! This is him, I'm positive."

Sora, finally getting fed up with the confusion, gently grabbed King Mickey by his small arm. "Excuse me, but could you come this way, please?" Having no choice but to follow Sora, they walked back into Ansem's main room and stood in front of his portrait. "This...is...Ansem. The guy we all worked really hard to defeat at the End of All Worlds? The one who took over and controlled Riku's body?"

"Oh, that's right. I never finished explaining. We'll, you see...the man in this picture is definitely the person who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts – the one you defeated. However, what you really fought was only his Heartless. You see, he wasn't really Ansem; he just told everyone he was."

"WHAT!" three voices cried out. King Mickey jumped at the sudden noise.

"Do you mean we went through all of that trouble just to defeat an imposter?" Sora cried, slumping his shoulders.

"Well, even if he was a fake he still had to be stopped. Now that you know that _he_ was the fake, the picture you found on his computer was a picture of the _real_ Ansem. That is what I am trying to figure out right now; Ansem the Wise should know all about Organization XIII's plans and what has been happening to all of the worlds. I'm pretty sure he will give us some help."

Sora kept shaking his head, confused by all of the new information. Noticing Goofy had a thoughtful look on his face, Sora asked, "Don't tell me there's more?!"

"Well," Goofy started, "Some person named Ansem, who wasn't really Ansem, became a Heartless. Does that mean a Nobody was created when that happened too?"

"Yes. And that Nobody is the leader of Organization XIII. I know I've met this fake Ansem before and the leader of the Organization; kind of felt like being around the same person, you know? Ansem the Wise – the real Ansem – must know the imposter's true identity."

Sora clenched his fists to his sides, shaking slightly. "You...you started all of this! Because of you, Riku and Kairi...oh! Your majesty, do you know where Riku is?" Sora stopped and did a 360 in mid-sentence.

"He's..." The kind paused, and turned away from Sora. It was breaking his heart to have to tell him this. "I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"Really?" Sora came around to face the king. "Why not?"

"I'm sorry, Sora," the king said, turning yet again to face away from Sora's inquiring face.

Sora's face fell, until he thought of another question. "Well, what about Kairi? Organization XIII might have kidnapped her!"

"What! Oh no!" King Mickey turned to face the three, a grave look on his face. "Sora, Donald, Goofy. I was planning on going to look for Ansem the Wise to get his help, but I think I've forgotten the most important thing. Helping others should always come before asking others for help. We are safe and sound, and free to choose; so there is no reason why we shouldn't choose to help our friends. Let's look for Riku and Kairi together." Little did King Mickey know, and thank goodness for Sora's (occasional) short memory span that he had let on that he didn't know where Riku was at the moment either.

King Mickey's monologue was cut short when a giant tremor shook the room. This was the biggest earthquake yet, dwarfing all of the others that had come before it. The room shook, shaking dust from the rafters and causing books and papers to fall off the shelves. The four held on for dear life as the earthquake shook the very foundations of the castle, almost bringing it down around them. Little did they know that this was only the second largest earthquake they would experience that day.

"We have to get outside!" Sora yelled.

"First of all, I think we have to start by helping out here!" King Mickey said as the four ran for the door.

Outside the bailey, the Heartless and Dusks had finally achieved their goal: breaking through and demolishing the bailey that had kept them out. The earthquakes had been their attempts at it, the largest Heartless being used as battering rams and the heaviest Heartless as wrecking balls. Their efforts had started a chain reaction; the earth beneath Hollow Bastion had begun to shake continuously, causing more and more earthquakes than the Heartless and Dusks actually caused. With one last push that coincided with the rebounding tremors, the bailey had cracked then exploded, causing huge chunks of wall and masonry to fall around them. With a clear entrance into the city, the Heartless and Dusks began their assault.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy began running through the maze under the old castle, trying to keep up with King Mickey. Nonetheless, after a few twists and turns, they lost sight of him. However, a platoon of Heartless and Dusks were waiting for them in the main area outside of Ansem's room. The trio froze in their tracks when they realized who was controlling the Heartless on the other side of the room: Maleficent.

She smiled when she saw the Keybearer and his two lackeys, and disappeared into a cloud of green and black. Her bodiless voice rang out eerily, commanding the Heartless. "Heartless! Leave the white ones. Concentrate on Sora and his friends!" Maniacal laughter followed, fading into the distance.

"I thought we destroyed her!" Sora said as he slashed away at the Heartless. "What is she doing back here?"

"I don't know, but either way, having to contend with her _and_ Organization XIII is going to make our job a lot harder," Goofy said as he smashed a Dusk with his shield.

"Well, we can think about that later! Right now we're probably needed in town!" Donald reminded them as he blasted the rest of the Heartless with Thundara.

"Let's go!" Sora said as they continued through the passageways. Running through the canyon, they came upon Leon and Aerith fighting hordes of Heartless and Dusks. "Help has arrived!" he yelled.

"Sora! Behind you!" shouted Aerith. Four Dancer Dusks had appeared behind them. Using Trinity Limit the three of them took care of the Dusks in no time.

After defeating the rest of the Heartless and Dusks in that part of the canyon, Leon ran up to them and said, "The king is in the bailey, so you had better head over there right away. Aerith and I are heading back into town quickly to see what happened there and are then continuing to outside of the bailey; the Heartless and Dusks are making their way past the city perimeter and towards the evacuation center. We'll meet you there later."

"Got it!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran towards the bailey, seeing destruction and devastation everywhere they went. Halting not fifty feet from the main wall of the bailey, Sora looked around in awe. The wall was cracked from the top to its foundation, and huge chunks of wall had fallen randomly around the area to create a makeshift entrance. All of the construction equipment had been smashed beyond repair. Running towards the entrance to the outer regions of Hollow Bastion, Sora looked on in wonder...

...Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of Heartless and Dusks were swarming towards the city. The earth shook with the pounding of their feet, swords being dragged along, giant creatures made of darkness plodding along with the rest. Hollow Bastion was going to drown in a sea of darkness if Sora, Donald, and Goofy didn't do something soon. Running towards the marching sea, the trio was halted by King Mickey.

"Okay, fellas, you have to go find Riku and Kairi now!"

"But Leon and the others are our friends too! We can't abandon them now – even Geni is inside of the city at the moment," Sora pleaded with King Mickey.

"Don't worry, there is a lot of help here already. We'll take care of this fight."

"But I promised Leon –!"

King Mickey cut off Sora. "Donald! Goofy! Take Sora and get going!" he commanded them, his voice stern and unforgiving.

Sora looked down, defeated. "Riku...Kairi...give me a little more time, okay?" he whispered to himself. Goofy and Donald looked at each other, saddened by Sora's reaction. Suddenly brightening up, the two looked at each other and nodded.

"We understand, your majesty. We'll go search for Riku and Kairi," Goofy said.

"Right! Watch for danger." King Mickey was keeping an eye on the approaching hordes.

"You be careful too," Donald added.

"Guys, wait! We can't –"

"You're coming with us whether you like it or not, Sora. Now let's get going!" Donald winked at Sora. Suddenly realizing what they were talking about, Sora smiled. Mouthing the words "thank you" to two of his best friends, he spun around and headed for the armies of Heartless and Dusks. The trio rushed past King Mickey and over the cliff so quickly he didn't have time to respond. Racing towards the edge, he saw Sora waving back to him.

"I'm sorry, your majesty!" he shouted.

"Hope you can forgive us!" Goofy added. The trio ran off to battle, leaving behind a bewildered but understanding King Mickey. Shaking his head and smiling, he knew he couldn't have stopped them if he had tried.


	17. Battling The Darkness

Chapter 15

Sora and the gang ran out from the ruins of the bailey and out into the creviced plains past Hollow Bastion. The rock was an eerie purple-blue color, shadowing anything that might have been following them. Running and jumping over rocks and debris, they made their way through to some dated ruins. Pillars and beautiful mosaic tiles had collapsed and cracked, but there was still a clear pathway towards the other side.

"Once we pass through here, we'll be at the forefront of the wave of Heartless and Nobodies. Whoa!" Sora suddenly skidded to a halt as a black portal opened in front of them; who should step out but a member of Organization XIII, if anyone had any doubts.

Looking around, the member took off their hood and smiled at the three. "Well, you're all looking lively today." The Nobody had a large blonde mohawk with the rest of his head in a buzz cut.

"Scram!" Donald said.

"Hey, didn't we catch you messing around in the Underworld? How did a weakling like you join the Organization?" Sora asked. The Nobody looked indignant. "I bet you can't even fight."

The Nobody shook his finger at them. "You really shouldn't judge people just by appearance." Sora, Donald, and Goofy raised their weapons at him and prepared for battle. "Hey, hey, hey! Oh, I told them they were sending the wrong guy..." The Nobody turned around and began talking to himself.

"Who _is_ this guy?" Sora wondered.

"Considering he's from the Organization, that means he has no heart."

The Nobody spun around. "We do too have hearts! Don't be mad at us!"

"You can't trick us," Sora responded, sounding bored.

The Nobody slowly turned, his demeanor changing from foolish mischievousness to one of ominous solemnity. "Silence, traitor," he said flatly while pointing at Sora. Suddenly, droplets of water began forming around him, falling up instead of down. Reaching his hand up, he created a large water bubble, and from it he produced a blue sitar-like weapon. "I, Demyx, will be the one to drown your pitiful heart!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy prepared their own weapons. _This guy's attitude is completely different from before_, Sora thought. _What brought on this sudden change?_ His ponderings were cut short as geysers of water began to shoot up from the ground and blast them back and forth. Demyx was the Nobody with the ability to control water at his beck and call, sending tidal waves, blasts, and more geysers their way constantly. Sora could hardly fight back without being soaked to the bone.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy fought with their all. Goofy smashing with his shield, Donald casting spells on Demyx and his water forms, Sora brandishing and thrusting his Keyblade into the highly evasive water. However, Demyx evaded most of them with his rock star moves, using his sitar to control the water around them.

After whipping yet another water form at Demyx and obliterating several others in the process, Sora was getting tired of Demyx avoiding his attacks with his perpetual geysers. Also, those moving water bombs were hard to hit and just as hard to avoid. "What's the matter, Sora? If I'm weak, then why am I kicking your –" He was cut off by a Blizzard from Donald, temporarily freezing his water attacks.

"Come on Sora, get with the program! Use your Drive Form or Summon already!" Donald shouted.

"Oh, right!" Sora thought quickly – what could he use that would defeat Demyx quickly? Smiling, he yelled "Give me strength!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy all glowed for a moment before Sora's new Master Form took shape. A Keyblade in each hand, Sora doubled his speed from before and lunged at Demyx. A fierce battle ensued, but as they prolonged the battle Sora's could feel his energy waning with every dodge and hit. _We've got to end this before we separate!_ Sora heard Donald say inside of his head. Nodding to no one is particular, Sora charged his Keyblades.

Demyx, for once not acting like a complete fool, noticed this reaction and decided to throw off the Keybearer. Grinning, he said, "Hey Sora. I remember when your sister was in the Organization. Man, was she ruthless. All the people she took hearts from, the towns she destroyed. She was practically Number I's lapdog, begging for any scraps from him." He could see Sora stop in his tracks, his full attention on Demyx. Sora gripped his Keyblades tighter, his eyes beginning to smolder with anger. Demyx took the opportunity to start creating more water bombs behind Sora.

"Don't you dare talk about my sister that way," Sora said warningly.

Demyx continued, loving how the conversation was going. _Might as well go all the way_, he thought. "Oh, and do you know what my _favorite_ thing she did was? You're going to love this: she was the one who took personal charge of destroying your beloved Destiny Islands and splitting you and your friends up in the darkness!"

Sora froze in his tracks, his body unable to move and his mind paralyzed. _Sora! Come on, snap out of it!_ Goofy mentally shouted. However, this information was too much for Sora, and his Master Form ran out and split up the group once more. As soon as Demyx saw this, he fired his water bombs and hit the three pitilessly. Donald and Goofy were thrown to one side of their makeshift arena, while Sora was thrown to the other. Donald and Goofy stood up straight away and continued fighting; unfortunately, Sora slowly got to his knees and shakily stood up, but had not reentered the fight yet.

_Come on body, move!_ Sora said to himself. His body felt like lead, and he could not force himself to go forward even an inch. _Why can't I move? Is it because of what Demyx said? But Geni was under the Organization's control – it wasn't her fault!_ Sora's feet gradually began to move forward. _I know it was terrible to lose my home, then Riku and Kairi. It wasn't her fault! It wasn't!_ Sora began to speed up, heading straight for Demyx.

Donald, seeing that Sora had finally snapped out of it, occupied Demyx's attention while Sora attacked from behind. Goofy saw this, and took a second side to split Demyx's attention in two. They had worn him down, and he was almost out of energy when Sora attacked.

"It wasn't her fault!" he yelled while slicing and dicing Demyx to his peril with his Keyblade. Demyx was so caught up in the attack he couldn't concentrate enough to get his water to defend him.

"Are you sure?" he said with a laugh as he felt his end drawing near. Demyx began to glow as Sora attacked him. "If I'm going down, you're coming with me!" Demyx glowed brighter than the sun for a few moments before his body exploded with the force of several hurricanes. Donald and Goofy were far enough away to avoid most of the force, but Sora was unfortunately at the epicenter of it and was thrown at several hundred miles per hour at the wall behind him.

_Boom! Crack!_ Sora left a huge indentation in the wall where the force of the blast had thrown him. Unluckily for him, he had landed on his arm and fell to the ground half conscious because of the pain.

"SORA!" Donald and Goofy shouted as they ran to their injured friend.

"Ah!" Geni cried, holding her left shoulder. She had been bending down to pick up a box full of bandages when her shoulder seared with roaring pain.

"My dear! Are you all right?" Merlin asked, looking concerned. Geni was bending over, her right arm clasping her left shoulder.

"I think so," she said as the pain slowly subsided. "I didn't hit or pull anything, so what –?" Her eyes growing wide, she looked at her shoulder in horror. "It's Sora! I have to go!" She got up and grabbed her small backpack full of supplies and ran out of the first aid tent.

"But wait! You don't know where he is!" Merlin cried. "Geni, come back!" But his words fell upon deaf ears; Geni knew to follow her instinct and began running as fast as she could for the far borough near Merlin's house and the bailey. Reaching the ruined bailey, she looked around. Heartless and Nobodies were still swarming into the city. She knew Aerith, Yuffie, Leon, Tifa, and Cloud were out on the plains fighting, but where were King Mickey, Sora, Donald, and Goofy? Closing her eyes for a moment, she thought of Sora. A shot of pain ran through her arm, but she ignored it, jumping down from stone to stone next to where the Heartless had made their makeshift entrance.

She followed a path the Heartless had made, running into only a few, surprisingly. Using her staff, she destroyed several of them, but still kept running. After a few minutes, she came upon a ruined structure which looked like it had recently seen a battle. Slowing on the tiled ground, she looked around her.

"Geni! What are you doing here?" a voice quacked. She looked to her right, and was terrified at what she saw. Donald and Goofy were leaning over what looked like an unconscious Sora, his left arm bent at a funny angle.

"Sora!" Geni cried, running over to her brother. "What happened?" she asked, as she kneeled next to him. She was out of breath and heaving, but she was where she was needed the most right now.

"Demyx, from the Organization," Donald said. "His last attack was a kamikaze; we were mostly protected but Sora took the full force of it. Something's wrong with his arm, but I don't know what."

Looking at Sora, Geni realized why his armed looked so strange. She gently poked and prodded his shoulder, earning her a definitive alive-sounding noise from her brother. "His shoulder has come out of its socket; we have to put it back in."

Sora was fading in and out of blackness, his left shoulder searing in pain. He scrunched his eyes tight, trying to make the pain go away. "Sora? Sora, open your eyes." He heard a gentle voice calling his name, and the pain faded enough so he could open his eyes. Staring down at him was a pair of concerned ocean blue eyes. "Sora?"

"Geni? What are you doing here?" he managed to croak out before he cried out in pain.

"Here, take some of this," Geni replied, holding up a small green bottle she had brought out while rummaging through her knapsack.

Sora took the bottle with his good right hand and tried swallowing it. Gagging and trying to spit it back out, he said, "What's _in_ this stuff?"

"Natural pain relievers that won't slow you down."

She was right; the pain in Sora's shoulder slowly ebbed away. "What happened? I remember fighting Demyx, and then this light…"

"You hit the wall a little too hard," Goofy said, smiling.

"You've dislocated your shoulder," Geni said. "I have to pop it back in or you won't be fighting any more Heartless today." She poked around inside her backpack and brought out a large cylinder wrapped in cloth. "I need you to bite down on this when we do it – I'm sorry, but it will be quite painful at first. Donald, hold down his arms. Goofy, hold down his legs." Geni helped Sora sit up and lean against the chasm wall, and Donald and Goofy assumed their positions.

"Are you sure about his?" Sora said warily.

"Positive – and I've done this before, so don't worry," Geni replied with a large comforting smile. Sora nodded, and used his right hand to put the cylinder in his mouth.

"Mmm-mm," he mumbled.

"Okay, on three you guys." She gently pulled Sora's arm up until it was horizontal to his shoulder. She placed his hand on her shoulder, and her hands on the end of his to steady it. Donald and Goofy held him down tightly, and Sora bit down and closed his eyes. "One, two, three!" Geni shoved Sora's arm in, earning her a muffled scream from him. _Pop!_ "And we're done," she said, letting go.

Sora had a few tears in his eyes from the pain, but already his shoulder was feeling better. Taking the cylinder out, he said "Thanks a lot. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't shown up."

Geni shook her head and blushed a little. "It was nothing; I sort of…felt the pain in my own shoulder and assumed something was wrong, so I came looking for you guys. Eat this, and you should be feeling fine." Geni had fished out a small tablet from a bottle in her backpack. Sora popped it in his mouth, and his pain vanished. He slowly and carefully moved his shoulder and arm around a little, but there was no pain and no slowness.

"I feel great!" he shouted. Geni laughed, still sitting on the ground, panting heavily but not as much as before. Sora bent down and hugged her tightly. "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard just because of me," he whispered into her ear.

Geni hugged him back. "Silly, I did it _because_ it was you." Sora let go and helped her up by pulling on her hands. Standing up, she dusted off her skirt. Her clothes were dirty, but you could see she was wearing workable clothing. Her skirt was dark denim with an aqua tank top and mini jacket. She also had on her favorite pair of sandals, as usual. "By the way, where's King Mickey?"

"Aha! There you are!" a small voice shouted from behind them. King Mickey was walking towards them, a stern scowl on his face. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked everywhere but him; Geni could tell right away something was up.

"King Mickey! I didn't know you were in Hollow Bastion," she said, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Hello, Geni. It's good to see you, but you should be up where it is safe inside the city walls."

She nodded. "I know, I just came here to help out Sora."

"I see," he said. Sighing, he smiled. "You sure have a lot of friends to help." Sora, Donald, and Goofy all looked at him, slightly bewildered and relieved at the same time. "So, I think it's time we finish this battle for good!"

"Yes, your majesty!" the three shouted, saluting. Geni giggled at this, knowing only too much how corny her brother and friends were. King Mickey nodded, and started heading towards the main part of the chasm.

High above them, a Dusk was in the process of destroying a Heartless. The explosion it set off in the process caused large pieces of rock to fly off of the chasm wall and towards King Mickey. Goofy noticed this, and tried to warn him.

"Look out!" he cried as he pushed King Mickey out of the way. The small boulder hit Goofy hard on his head, sending him flying into the wall behind him. He lay there motionless.

"Goofy!" Sora cried. Donald, Geni, and Sora ran towards their fallen comrade.

"No…" King Mickey uttered.

Donald was the first to reach him. "Hey, you're the King's Captain! You have to get up! I'm sorry about the ice cream!"

"Goofy, wake up!" Sora pleaded. Geni knelt down beside him, her eyes scanning her friend for signs of life.

"Oh Goofy," Donald warbled.

"This can't be happening…it just can't…" Sora said to himself. He hung his head, tears stinging his eyes. Geni put her hand on Sora's shoulder, at the same time trying to find a pulse in Goofy's wrist.

King Mickey clenched his fists. "They'll pay for this," he said angrily as he ripped off his Organization XIII cloak, revealing his regular red clothes underneath – ones similar to what Sora was wearing. Withdrawing his Keyblade, he ran forth into the chasm. Donald with a war cry soon followed after.

"Sora, wait," Geni said as she grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving as well. "Don't let your emotions control you. I'll stay with Goofy and do what I can."

Sora nodded, leaving Goofy in quite capable hands. Running through twisted passageways, Sora helped Yuffie, Leon, Tifa, and Cloud fight off the Heartless. Most of the battles were quite easy, but Sora's heart was laden with the sadness of possibly losing one of his best friends. _Geni, please help Goofy. Make sure he'll be okay_, he thought as he destroyed a Large Body.

And she was. Geni had begun checking Goofy over as soon as Sora had left. She had quickly found a faint but persistent pulse, and used some of her magic to strengthen Goofy's weakened energy. After a few minutes, he was snoring loudly – a good sign that he was just fine. _If anything, he'll have one heck of a headache. Good thing Goofy has a hard head_, Geni said to herself as she watched over him.

Behind her, twenty or so Heartless had made their way past Sora and his friends and were creeping up on her. Suddenly sensing the darkness behind her, Geni turned quickly and whipped her staff into an offensive stance. The Heartless came at her in small groups from all angles, making it nearly impossible to destroy them all at once. While Geni was fighting a Jazz in front of her, several Soldiers crept up behind her. She had just turned around and saw them not two feet away from her when they were obliterated. "You've got to be more careful," a cheerful voice told her.

After a long while of prolonged fighting, Sora made his way to a crystal fissure. As he came to a bend in the passage, he saw Donald and King Mickey waiting for him. He came up to them and bent over, breathing hard.

"Are you okay?" King Mickey asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but..."

"Oh, Goofy," Donald sighed. He and King Mickey looked to the ground and thought about the possible loss of their friend.

"Hey fellers!" a voice shouted out from the front of the passageway. Sora, Donald, and King Mickey all looked up to see Goofy running towards them, waving.

"Goofy!" they all shouted with joy.

"Ya know," Goofy said as he joined them, "That really hurt!"

"Aw, Goofy!" King Mickey said as he hugged his friend tightly.

"Gawrsh, your majesty, I get bumped on the head all the time. Even Geni said my hard head is what saved my noggin." Goofy didn't see that Donald was walking up to him with a stern look on his face. Reaching him, he swung around and hit Goofy hard on the knee with his staff. "Ow! That hurt too!"

"Don't you _ever_ do that again!" Donald shouted at him.

Sora sighed, glad Goofy was alright. "Hey Goofy, where's Geni? Isn't she with you?"

Goofy shook his head, still rubbing his knee. "No, I sent her back up to the town..."

"Goofy! You're awake!" Geni shouted as she ran to him and hugged him. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, now that I had that nice nap, much better! My head does hurt a little though. Hey, where is everybody?" he asked, looking around.

"They left pretty angry when you were knocked out. They're down in the chasm fighting the Heartless and Nobodies with everyone."

"Well, then I had better skedaddle and go help them. I know this might not seem fair, but could you head back to town? I'm sure King Mickey and Sora would feel much better if you were out of harm's way."

"Of course; I'm probably needed up there anyway. I also left without really telling Merlin where I went, so he is probably worried too." Reaching into her knapsack, she took out several bottles. "Here's some potion and ether, just in case. Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Goofy said. He put the bottles in his pockets and headed for the main part of the chasm. "Be careful!" he shouted back.

"You too!" Geni yelled. Smiling, she picked up all of her things and began to make her way back towards the bailey.

"...so she should be back at the town square by now."

"Good," said King Mickey. "Well, shall we finish this?"

"Alright!" Sora said as he punched the air. The four of them raced out of the crystal fissure and into the maw of the chasm. Ahead of them stood the main body of the army of Heartless, unmoving. "What's with them?" Sora wondered.

"Look!" Goofy cried as he pointed to one of the nearby hills. A figure in black had just emerged and removed his hood. "It's the guy who's not Ansem – his Nobody!"

"The leader of Organization XIII..." Sora murmured.

"Wait a minute! Now I know where I've seen him – he used to be Ansem the Wise's apprentice, Xehanort! The leader of Organization XIII is Xehanort's Nobody!" Whipping out his Keyblade, King Mickey ran after Xehanort's Nobody.

"Let's go!" Sora shouted, but was stopped short as thousands of Heartless surrounded the three of them. "Hey, move it!" he yelled at the Heartless.

"We can't let Xehanort get away!" Donald said. Sora looked at them, and looked out at the Heartless. Donald and Goofy gave him a thumbs up, then dashed away into the midst of the sea of Heartless. Sora turned and ran in the opposite direction into them. For what seemed like forever, Sora, Donald, and Goofy pummeled and smashed Heartless. Using their own attacks against them, like Rising Sun and Sparkle Ray, Sora beat the one thousand Heartless in about ten minutes or so – probably a new record for anyone.

Running through the now empty maw, Sora found himself in yet more passageways. Finding himself at a cross section again, he paused to catch his breath. Turning around, he saw that Donald and Goofy had caught up to him.

"Where's the king?" Donald asked.

Looking around, Goofy spotted him just ahead of them. "There he is!" The three of them ran forward just in time to see King Mickey speaking with Xehanort's Nobody. "Your majesty!"

King Mickey turned and nodded to them. "Xehanort! You have some explaining to do!"

"How long has it been since I have abandoned that name," the Nobody drawled.

"Out with it Nobody! Where's Kairi? Where's Riku?" Sora said angrily.

"I know nothing of any Kairi. As for Riku...why don't you ask your king?" Sora looked confused for a moment. As he was about to say something to King Mickey, King Mickey yelled "Stop!" Xehanort had opened a dark portal and was disappearing through it. King Mickey ran and jumped through the portal without any second thoughts.

"He's gone again," Sora whispered. He slumped to the ground, pounding his fist in anger. _Why is everyone being so secretive about Riku and Kairi?!_ he thought to himself. Goofy came over and put a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Sora, Goofy," Donald began before he was interrupted.

"Way to fall right into their trap," someone said behind them. The trio turned around and prepared for battle against a red headed Nobody. "Come on, it's a setup by the Organization. Xemnas is using you to destroy the Heartless – that is his big master plan."

"Who's Xemnas?" Donald asked warily.

"The guy you just saw, this Xehanort's Nobody you were talking about. He's Number I, the leader, the alpha male. X-E-M-N-A-S, Xemnas. Got it memorized?" he said, tapping his head.

"Why does Organization XIII want to get rid of the Heartless?" Goofy asked.

"Man, you guys are clueless." Pointing to Sora's Keyblade, he said, "Every Heartless slain with that releases a captive heart. That is what they are after."

"What are they going to do with all of the hearts?" Donald asked.

"Sorry, that's for me to know and for you to find out." He grinned and looked at them superiorly.

"You...you are the one who kidnapped Kairi, aren't you?" Sora said accusingly.

"Congratulations! The name is Axel; got it memorized?"

"Where's Kairi?" said Sora, his eyes turning angry. Axel looked away for a moment, scratching his head. "Please – just tell me!" Sora begged him.

"Look, about Kairi...I'm sorry. Saïx took her from me. Big guy with blue hair and an x-shaped scar across his face – can't miss him." Axel then opened a dark portal and stepped through it.

"Wait!" Sora shouted – but it was too late. Axel was gone, and so were any leads to Kairi. "Kairi..." he said despairingly.

"Sora," Donald said gently. "Let's head back to the city. Anyone who could give us information is gone now, and people might still need help from those earthquakes or the Heartless and Nobodies."

Looking at Donald, he nodded silently. The made their way back through the passageways in the chasm outside of the city and soon arrived at the bailey. They met a few Heartless and Nobodies along the way, but quickly dispatched with them. Jumping from ledge to ledge, the three of them made their way towards the top of the bailey and back towards the borough where Merlin lived.

Here, there was barely any damage. A few windows were cracked, and some tiles had been displaced off of roof tops. As they drew closer to the city center, there was even less damage, and no Heartless or Nobodies either. Reaching the town square, it was packed with people sitting together in the middle away from the buildings. Some were eating or passing out food, while others entertained the children. Sora saw a large tent across the way and assumed it must be the first aid tent Yuffie was talking about earlier. Slowly making their way through the large crowd, they met Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, and Merlin talking outside of the tent.

"You're back!" Yuffie said. "How did it go?"

"Exhausting," Sora said. "Where did all of the Heartless and Nobodies come from? There were thousands of them in the main part of the chasm, and still more all over the place."

"We're not sure," Leon replied. "The Heartless were the ones who started the earthquakes, and we haven't had any since –" However, Leon spoke too soon. Just then, an immeasurable earthquake shook the entire city. "Everyone! Get down!" The earthquake was the largest one yet, and it lasted for at least ten minutes. Carts and boxes fell over, and people crowded away from the buildings lest they fell on them. One house in the far corner of the square collapsed, and a large booming sound could be heard coming from near the old castle. As the tremors subsided, people cautiously got up, checking for injury or damage.

Sora had been ducking his head, covering it with his hands. Donald was hiding under a nearby table with some little children, and Goofy had his head under a bush. When Sora felt it was safe to get up, he looked around. Babies and the littlest children were crying, while the older adults tried checking on everyone to make sure no one was hurt.

"Damn it," Cid said. "That hurt!" Cid had gotten hit on the head with a roofing tile, and a small trickle of blood was running down the side of his face.

"Come on Cid, I'll take a look at it," Aerith said as she led Cid inside the first aid tent. "Watch out for the glass." Assuming Geni was in the tent, Sora followed Aerith. Some glass bottles full of peroxide and iodine had been broken and spilled over the cobblestones. Aerith had Cid sit down on a cot and put a piece of cloth onto his head to put pressure onto the bleeding. "It's barely a scratch, so don't make such a fuss," she said as she went to the cabinet for another bottle of peroxide.

"Hey Aerith, I thought Geni was supposed to be here?" Sora asked as he carefully picked up a few shards of glass and put them into a garbage can.

"Oh! We were going to ask you about that. Geni ran off earlier to look for you, and we haven't seen her since. Wasn't she with you?"

"No...Goofy asked her to come back here after she helped us out." Sora began to worry. Dropping the rest of the glass into the bin, he said, "I'll be back to help clean up." Running outside, he went straight towards Leon. "Leon, have you seen Geni?"

Leon was helping to right a vegetable cart that had tipped over, spilling carrots and lettuce into the street. "Not recently. Why?"

Sora ran and asked everyone around if they had seen his sister. With each negative answer, Sora started to panic. He ran back to the first aid tent to see Goofy talking with Donald. "Goofy, are you sure Geni said she was going back to town?"

"A-hyuck, of course. I even saw her heading back the way we had come."

"Well, no one around here has seen her for at least an hour or two, ever since she left to help us – which means she never came back...or couldn't." Curling his hands into fists, Sora ran back towards Merlin's borough. _Where could she have gone? Geni would never break a promise like that to Goofy, which means something must have happened to her on the way back..._

And Sora was right. Geni had been walking back towards the bailey, knocking out a few Heartless along the way. She had just entered the bailey when she thought she heard someone calling for help.

"What was that?" Geni said to herself, stopping. Straining her ears, she listened. Nothing – no wind, no Heartless, no Nobodies, not anything. Wait – what was that?

"Help me! Somebody!" she heard faintly from the passage leading towards the old castle. Figuring someone might have been caught in one of the earthquakes, she hurried to follow the voice. Walking quickly through the passageways, she found herself entering a large construction site. Large equipment surrounded her: cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks, cherry pickers, and many others. High above her stretched the almost completed bridge that connected Hollow Bastion with the countryside. The Restoration Committee was planning on expanding the city outside of the bailey with the new bridge.

"Hello?" Geni called out timidly. "Is anyone here?" She walked slowly through the area, checking for signs of life.

"Over here! I'm stuck!" She hurried to where she heard the voice and saw that a bulldozer had fallen over, and a shadow of a person was pounding on the window trying to get out.

"Hold still! I'll try and pry the door open!" Looking around, Geni saw a crowbar. Picking it up she jumped onto the side of the bulldozer and shoved the lever end into the door. "Almost there! Watch out!" She shimmied the crowbar back and forth, and soon she heard a pop as the door opened. "Here, let me help you –"

There was no one inside the bulldozer, but there was a large explosion as the bulldozer blew up, sending Geni flying into the dirt behind her. She landed hard and rolled a little ways until she came to a stop. _What's going on?_ she thought to herself as she eyed the area around her looking for enemies.

"Such a foolish and easily gullible girl," she heard a nasty voice say. Swiveling her head, she saw Maleficent standing not twenty feet in front of her.

"Maleficent! What are you doing here, you witch?" Geni slowly got up on her feet, showing off a few cuts and bruises.

"Why, this is my home. Am I not allowed to do with it what I please?"

"You don't live here, you monster! Hollow Bastion is no longer under your control!" Geni grabbed her staff from its holder on her hip and flipped it out to its full length, pointing it dangerously towards Maleficent. "Leave, now!"

"I think not!" Maleficent raised her hands and created a green and black flamed barrier around them. "Now I shall enact my revenge against your brother on you!" Maleficent called forth Heartless and fired different elemental spells at her. Geni dodged the spells and slew the Heartless as best as she could, but she was still tired from her run earlier and the explosion. She retaliated by firing her own spells at Maleficent, and even struck her once or twice.

As they fought, neither one noticed the ground beginning to slightly tremble underneath them. The glass on the windows of the construction vehicles began to shake and rattle, and the bridge above them loosed some dirt and small pebbles. Maleficent, tiring of the battle, charged her long wand for a wave of darkness which Geni couldn't avoid and threw her back against the barrier.

She landed hard, and staggered to get up. Her body was physically exhausted, and she could barely move. _I have to defeat Maleficent! I can't let her hurt anyone, especially Sora!_ Strengthening her resolve, she directed her energy into her staff. As she ran forward, the ground pitched underneath her and opened slightly. She tried to move out of the way but it was too late: her foot fell into the crack and was stuck tight. Her forward momentum kept her going, and she fell forward onto her face practically breaking her leg in half. She grimaced in pain; she had landed on her right wrist and it felt like it was at least sprained, and her head was aching from where she had hit it on the ground. Looking back, she saw her left ankle was stuck in the large crack; she was lucky she fell on her side and bent at her knee so no real damage was done.

Maleficent had been a little luckier and had not fallen into anything. She now saw her chance at ridding herself of at least one pest. The earthquake was still shaking the ground violently, but she steadied herself enough to send a large magical bolt of energy into the bridge high above them. "Have a pleasant trip, my dear, to the afterlife!" Maleficent disappeared into her portal of green and black flames as her spell hit the bridge. The bridge exploded, and hailed down upon Geni in car sized boulders and larger. The little pieces hit her first, like rain, until the first boulder hit the ground not too far from her.

She tried to get up and free her foot, but it was stuck fast. The more she tried to pry it loose, the more the ground closed in on her and scraped her leg. She already had several cuts that were bleeding down her leg. Looking up at the bridge that was going to fall on her, she tried making herself as small as possible. Her aching head made it hard to concentrate. _Sora,_ she thought to herself as she closed her eyes. _No one even knows that I'm here_...


	18. Bruised Ankles and Pride

Chapter 16

...Except one. As the huge pieces of masonry were about to crush her, an individual in black leapt out from the shadows and sliced them in half with a dark sword. As the earthquake raged, they blocked all the parts of the bridge from falling onto her. When the earthquake finished a few minutes later, there was a large open circle in the area just around Geni, with rocks cut cleanly down the middle and resting out of harms way. The person in black was covered with dirt and dust, and the little brown pile of dirt behind them on the ground could only have been Geni.

Exhaling noisily, the person in black shook and dusted themselves off, then went back towards Geni. Making their sword vanish, they leaned down and dusted off her face. She was unconscious, but very much alive.

"I told you to stay out of trouble," the person said with a sigh. Gently as they could, they wriggled Geni's foot out of the small crevice. The cuts were still bleeding, but only a little bit. Picking her up carefully in a bridal style, the individual carefully took her away from the ruins of the collapsed bridge and back towards the passage leading to the bailey. They held her tightly, keeping watch all around them for any sign of Maleficent, Heartless, or Nobodies.

Having searched the borough and the bailey, Sora headed towards the passageway leading towards the castle and its opposite leading towards the chasm. It would take forever to search both, even if he, Donald, and Goofy split up. _Geni, come on. Where are you?_ Goofy and Donald had just caught up to Sora when he heard something. "Guys, did you hear that?"

"What?" Goofy said.

"It sounded like footsteps, or something like that. Listen." Sora held his breath, listening for the sound again. _Tip, tap, tip, tap_ came the sound from the direction of the old castle. "This way! That _must_ be Geni!" Sora ran towards the old castle, his hope renewed.

Having reached the beginning of the passageways, the stranger in black heard someone coming down them. Setting Geni carefully down on the ground, he laid a small box next to her. "I hope they're not as dense as I think they are," he whispered with a laugh.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy had just rounded the bend when his heart skipped a beat: a member of Organization XIII was leaning over Geni. "Get away from her!" he yelled as he charged forward with his Keyblade raised. The person looked up, surprised, before they quickly retreated into a dark portal. Sora ran and knelt next to his sister, who was covered in dirt and dust. She looked okay, except for some large cuts on her leg which were covered with blood. "Geni, wake up. Come on, please be okay," Sora entreated her.

Still unmoving, Donald and Goofy were unsure of what to do. Geni, Queen Minnie, and Aerith were the ones with the medical training, not them. Donald went over and decided to try some things he had seen Geni doing. He laid his head on her chest near her mouth; he could hear her heart beating strongly and her breath coming in short puffs. Suddenly, Donald was thrown off her chest when Geni started coughing up dirt and dust. Sora helped her sit up, relieved. She coughed until she was dry-heaving, and Goofy handed her a small bottle of water from one of his large pockets.

Drinking most of it, she coughed a little more before she started talking. "Sora...you guys found me. I'm sorry, I heard someone calling..."

"It's okay – we scared off the person from the Organization."

"What? No, it was Maleficent. She destroyed the bridge..." Looking around, Geni couldn't believe what she saw. She wasn't underneath the bridge anymore. Back where it was, in the middle of the ruins was an open circle; the pieces of the bridge that were going to fall on her were all around her as if some kind of force field had prevented them from falling on her. "But...the bridge..."

"Tell us what happened from the beginning," Sora ordered. Geni nodded, relaying how she had heard someone calling for help and it turned out to be a trick by Maleficent. Then the battle with the barrier she had erected, the earthquake, and the destruction of the bridge.

"But I was under the bridge; it was about to fall on me when I blacked out. Why am I over here?"

"I guess it doesn't really matter, as long as you're safe," Sora said. "We had better get you back to town and let Aerith look at you." Geni tried standing up, relying on Sora's arms for support. However, her ankle was too weak to support her and she fell back down.

"Ouch," she said, wincing. "I think I twisted it."

"Well, then you can't walk back like that," Donald said. "What are we going to do?" he said, scratching his head. Looking around for some kind of large stick for a crutch, he noticed a white box where Geni had been laying. Picking it up, he said, "Hey, what's this? Is this yours, Geni?"

She shook her head. "No, I've never seen it before."

"Should we open it?" Goofy asked.

"First things first, we need to get Geni back to town. We can open it there," Sora decided. He turned around and faced his back towards her, sinking down to one knee. "How about a piggy back?" he suggested. "You're light enough that I can probably carry you most of the way."

Geni blushed a little before agreeing. "Okay, but if I get too heavy let me off and I can hop the rest of the way." Standing on her good foot, she hopped onto Sora's back. Sora placed his hands under her knees, and Geni grabbed his shoulders.

_Wow, she really _is_ light,_ Sora thought to himself. _I feel like I'm carrying a large human-shaped feather_. "Ready?"

"Yes," Geni replied into his ear.

"We'll head back to the town and get the gang to help out – you two can't jump over the rocks blocking the bailey like that," Goofy said.

"Take it slow and we'll see you at the bailey," Donald added as they began walking away. Sora began walking as evenly as he could along the ground so he wouldn't jostle Geni too much. Donald and Goofy were soon out of sight, and the quiet of the canyon closed in on the siblings.

"So are all of the Heartless and Nobodies gone?" Geni asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah; there were thousands of them gathered in the chasm outside of the bailey. It took a while to get rid of them all, and hopefully there won't be any more of them." Sora bit his lip, wanting to ask Geni the question that had been on his mind every since his battle with Demyx. "So…does it hurt?" he asked, referring to her ankle.

"Not too bad. I just feel ridiculous for walking right into that trap; I should have known better."

Sora shook his head. "How could you have known? Any one of us would have done the same thing. Hey, Geni? Could I…ask you a question?"

"Sure Sora. What's on your mind?" The purple-blue walls passed them by, echoing his steps. "We fought a Nobody named Demyx. Does that ring a bell at all?"

Geni was silent for a moment, before she hesitantly responded. "Yes, I do. He was the ninth member of Organization XIII, able to produce water and use if offensively and defensively. Also, he was quite absent-minded and self-doubtful. Why do you ask?"

"Well, when we battled him, he said some things that…I wanted to double check with you. I didn't know if he was telling the truth or not. Did you…were you apart of the takeover of the Destiny Islands? Did you help to split up Riku, Kairi, and I?"

Sora heard Geni's breath hitch, and her hands tightened a little around his shoulders. She didn't say anything for a long while, and Sora could only take it as a yes. He bent his head down, and watched his feet for a while as they walked in silence.

After a few minutes, Geni placed her forehead to Sora's shoulders. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "It _was_ my fault that the Heartless Ansem and the Organization found the Destiny Islands in the first place. When I first started having my dreams, I didn't tell anyone. After a while, I began writing down everything in a purple notebook, my personal journal. On a trip to Hollow Bastion, we were attacked by Heartless and I lost my journal. One of them picked it up and vanished with it. It had all the information I had gathered on the Destiny Islands and you three. That's why the Destiny Islands was attacked – it was my fault." Her head still resting on Sora's back, she waited for Sora's reaction. Thinking his silence meant he was angry with her, she closed her eyes and wished she had never had those dreams in the first place.

"No, it wasn't," Sora said. Geni looked up, and Sora swiveled his head as much as he could so she could see his smile. "Just because your journal was taken doesn't mean that you personally caused the downfall of the Destiny Islands. That was bigger than any of us. And as for the three of us separating? Riku went through the darkness, Kairi's heart was stolen, and I went through the light to Traverse Town. We each left the Destiny Islands in our own way; it was fate. So don't worry about it. You're starting to act like Riku; he thought everything was his fault too when I saw him last at Hollow Bastion!" He laughed at this.

"How can you be so cheerful, Sora?" Geni said quietly. "How can you keep smiling, keep laughing, even though Kairi has been kidnapped, Riku is still missing, and you don't know if you'll ever go home?"

"If I'm not, who else will? Who will shine the light into the darkest corners, into the darkest hearts where people think no hope will ever shine? That is why I travel from world to world, defeating the Heartless, Nobodies, and the Organization. I show them that there is still hope." As Geni listened, she came to realize Sora was right. He had pulled her from the depths of darkness and brought her to the realm of light. Even now when her heart and mind were filled with darkness, he banished it with his smile and his laugh. "Get it?"

"I do," she said, smiling. "Sora?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you, for everything," she said muffled into his back.

"You're welcome," Sora said softly. Straightening, he noticed they had arrived at they bailey. "We'll, here we are!"

Geni looked up from Sora's back to see that he was right. However, Donald, Goofy, or any help wasn't in sight yet. "You need to rest Sora. Let me off so you can sit down for a while."

Sora complied, and gently bent down so Geni could slide off of his back and onto her good foot. Limping, she used Sora's arm as a crutch and sat down on a piece of fallen masonry. Sora sat down next to her, sighing. "I told you – you could have put me down if I was too heavy."

"No, you weren't. I think that –" here Sora yawned loudly "– all of those battles are finally starting to catch up with me from earlier. Plus, I think I need a shower or a bath." His dirt-streaked face was all the proof Geni needed of that.

"You think you're the only one?" Geni was still covered in dirt and dust, and streaks ran across her face where she had tried to wipe it off.

"I guess we make quite a pair," Sora said with a laugh and yet another yawn. Leaning back on the rock, Sora stretched his arms and legs. "I could sleep right here if it wasn't so bumpy," he said. "Although sleeping in the gummi ship isn't much better."

"Well, you can have a long rest once we get back to Merlin's house. I wonder if anyone was hurt though during that last earthquake; I'll have to check with Aerith when we get back." Geni rubbed her wrist a little; she had landed on it pretty hard – there was already some bruising and soreness.

"I think they can wait. You should get bandaged up first before that ankle blows up like a balloon." Sitting up, Sora saw Geni's black and blue wrist. "Hey, what did you do to your hand?"

Trying to hide it from Sora by turning away, she said, "Oh, nothing. I just fell on it a little when I was fighting Maleficent." Sora grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him. He then grabbed her bruised wrist, causing Geni to cry out in surprise and pain.

"A little? Come on; stop trying to be so noble. If you're hurt, you're hurt." Unzipping Geni's backpack before she could protest, he found some rolls of bandages. Steadying her wrist, he wrapped the bandage around it tightly and tied it off. Standing up and bending down, he took off her sandal and did the same thing with her foot. Grabbing the sandal and the bandages, he put everything back into her backpack. "See? Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"I guess not," she said. Actually, the pressure caused by the bandages was helping to alleviate some of the pain. "How did you learn to wrap injuries like that?"

"Riku and I sparred a lot back home, and once in a while we would actually hurt each other. I broke my arm once, and Riku broke his leg. After this, our mom's decided if we were going to try and kill ourselves we might as well learn some first aid so they signed us up for classes at school."

Geni laughed. "Well, now you can add a dislocated shoulder to your list." Just then, the two heard noises high above them.

"Hello down there! You two need some assistance?" they heard someone shout. Looking up, they saw Aerith leaning over the edge of the ruined bailey.

"Took you long enough," Sora replied with a shout. Just then three more heads popped over the edge: Donald, Goofy, and Merlin.

"We'll have you up in a moment, my friends," Merlin called down. Something that looked like a puffy orange cloud gently floated down towards them, circling them a few times. "Hop on!" he shouted.

The cloud thing came to rest in front of them, and Sora helped Geni to stand up and carefully sit down on it. Sora joined her, and the orange cloud squeaked. "What is this thing?" Sora wondered as they began their ascent.

"I wonder..." Geni said. In a few seconds they reached the top of the cliff and joined their friends. "Merlin, is this the Flying Nimbus?"

"Of course! Quite a little devil, I might add, trying to get him over here without wanting to fly up to play with the other clouds." Sora hopped off of the cloud, but Geni remained on it for the ride home. Aerith walked over and examined her wrist and foot.

"We'll, you don't seem to badly hurt. Once we get back to the first aid tent we can treat those cuts." Donald and Goofy started walking towards the borough, and Aerith, Merlin, Sora, and Geni quickly fell into step behind them.

As they began walking towards Merlin's house, Sora asked, "So what is a Flying Nimbus?"

Geni answered him first. "The Flying Nimbus, also known as the Kintoun, is a creature from the world called Earth. From what I remember, it usually lived with a man named Son Goku and his family as a gift from his teacher, Master Roshi. Only those with pure hearts can ride on it." Just then, the cloud started squeaking. "It must miss its home – Earth is a long way from anywhere," she said. "But why is the Flying Nimbus here anyway, Merlin?"

"Well, I'm not sure. One day while I was searching through the attic for an old spell book, I found a box with what looked like an orange puffy jewel in it. When I picked it up, it began to glow and not five seconds later this little fellow came crashing through the window. I believe it must have been some kind of Summon gem."

"But why didn't you send it back?" Sora asked. "Summons can be dismissed and they will automatically go back to wherever they came from until you need them again."

"Well, you see, I've tried and I can't. Every time I send him back I have to touch the gem back and place it back into the box, but as soon as I touch it he comes back again."

"It has been a help with carrying the groceries though," Aerith said with a smile. They had reached Merlin's house and were continuing towards the town square. Now that the earthquakes were over, people were returning to their homes for damage control. As mentioned before, the smaller earthquakes had caused slight damage. However, the last earthquake caused at least a dozen structures in the city to collapse, as well as one small bridge besides the one that had almost crushed Geni.

"When Donald and Goofy came back before," Aerith began, "We were still cleaning up and attending to the damage caused by the earthquake. Leon, Cid, and Yuffie had to stay behind to help out. Most of the damage occurred in the western part of the city, closest to the old castle." By now they had entered the town square; it was mostly empty except for three people hanging around the first aid tent. One of them had cuts and bruises, but an elderly man was lying on a stretcher unconscious. Running up to him first, Aerith demanded to know what had happened.

"A heart attack, we think," said a young man. "We were walking towards here when the earthquake hit. I think it sent Grandpa into shock and he collapsed onto the ground."

"Okay, take him inside," Aerith commanded. "Guys, wait out here until I finish, then we'll patch Geni up." Nodding, Aerith walked inside the tent and went to work. The young man and his friend carefully picked up the stretcher and took him inside.

"Well, I think I'll go check on the damage at home," Merlin said. "Hopefully none of my potion bottles broke – those shelves aren't as strong as they used to be, you know."

"Take the Nimbus with you, please. I don't think I'll need it anymore." Geni hopped off of the little cloud with some help from Sora and patted it, thanking it for the ride. It swirled around her, squeaking happily until it flew over by Merlin. "Just keep a hold on the stone this time until it completely goes away and you put it in the box. I'll stay here for a while and help out Aerith as much as I can."

"Take care, then," Merlin said as he walked away.

"What about you three?" Geni asked as she sat down on a bench not too far from the tent.

"Don't know," Goofy said. "Hey, what about that box we found earlier?"

"Oh, right!" Donald cried. He had still been holding the white box when Goofy mentioned it, and proceeded to open it. "Hey, what's this stuff?" Inside the box were a popsicle and a photograph. Donald took the ice cream and proceeded to taste test it. "Salty...no...sweet! Hey, this stuff is great!"

Goofy took the photo from the box and saw some familiar faces on it. "Hey, it's the gang from Twilight Town! There's Hayner, Pence, Olette, and...um..."

"Roxas," Sora said definitively.

"Do you know him?" Geni asked, looking at the picture.

"No, I don't think I've ever met him. I've just got this feeling that I know him somehow."

"Maybe he's from one of the worlds' you've visited?" she surmised.

"I don't really know," Sora answered. Just then, Aerith came out of the first aid tent.

"How is he?" Geni asked immediately.

"No heart attack, but a weak heart nonetheless. He fainted from shock and surprise more than anything. He should be up in a few hours after some rest. Now, about that wrist and ankle of yours." Geni got up off of the bench and hopped into the first aid tent.

"Be back soon," she called.

"Have fun," Sora called. Standing around feeling restless, Sora wondered how long it was going to take when he felt a dark presence, making him shiver. "Did you guys sense that?"

"Yeah – kind of creepy feeling," Goofy said, looking around. Suddenly, Goofy spotted a Heartless running into an alley across the square. "Hey look! A Heartless!"

"After it!" Sora cried as he chased after it. The three of them chased the Heartless until they cornered it in a side alley. "Gotcha now!" However, it was Sora, Donald, and Goofy who were trapped when a platoon of Heartless suddenly appeared and blocked their way out.

"Well Sora, what will you do now?" a low voice said. A member of the Organization had appeared behind the Heartless; he sported long locks of blue hair and a cross shaped scar across his face.

"Your face…you must be Saïx!" Sora shouted. "Where's Kairi? Give her back!"

"Oh, so Axel has spoken with you. Don't worry; I promise you that he will receive the maximum punishment. But if you're worried about Kairi, I assure you we are taking very good care of her."

"Take me to her!" Sora implored.

"Is she that important to you, this human girl? Show me."

Sora looked down, fighting a losing battle. He hated this Nobody for treating him like a lowly pawn, but at the same time his heart longed to see Kairi again so badly. Deciding that his pride was well worth sacrificing for the sake of Kairi, Sora bent down and bowed low on his hands and knees to Saïx. Bending his head low to the ground, he said, "Please."

"Hmm. So you really do care for her. In that case, the answer is…no."

Sora jumped up, truly disgusted. "Why you –!"

"Are you angry? Do you hate me, Sora? Then take your rage and direct it towards the Heartless; let your Keyblade devour them one by one. Let the hearts congregate in the darkness and create our paradise: Kingdom Hearts – the place where we can truly, finally exist wholly and completely." Saïx summoned more Heartless, slowly increasing their numbers. "I thank you, Keybearer." And with that, Saïx disappeared.

"Wait –!" But it was too late. Saïx was gone, and the Heartless began attacking them. "Maybe everything we've done, maybe it was all for nothing. What am I supposed to do if I can't use the Keyblade?!" Sora blocked the sword of the Heartless in front of him, but did not have the will to fight the rest of them.

"Then you find another way!" someone yelled. Spinning around, Sora saw Geni, Leon, Yuffie, and Cid running towards them. Well, Geni wasn't exactly running. Her right wrist was bandaged tightly and her arm was in a sling to prevent too much movement; the cuts on her leg were bandaged and her left ankle was wrapped like her wrist. She limped as best as she could towards the fight and joined the others in obliterating the Heartless. After a few minutes, all of them were gone. "Come on Sora, I know you can fight better than that," she said to him as she limped over to him.

"Hey, Aerith is going to yell at me if you overdo it," Leon warned. "I'm already going to get an earful when we get back because we let you come along."

"Okay, Okay," Geni said as her eyes took a trip around their sockets. "So, what were you guys doing over here?"

"Well, we saw a Heartless and followed it," Goofy began, "And then this guy Saïx showed up, the one who kidnapped Kairi; he started talking about how Sora was actually helping the Organization…" As Goofy prattled on, Geni noticed how distant Sora was. He had his back turned to the group, his fists clenched. Wobbling over to him, she placed her right hand on his shoulder.

"Sora? What's wrong?" she asked gently.

"All this time…" he said, still staring off into space. "All this time, I've been doing the Organization's dirty work. I'm no better than a regular reversal of a Heartless."

"You're wrong," she said. Hobbling around to face him, she looked straight at him. "You are the Keyblade Master, the bringer of light to worlds clouded in darkness. You fight the Heartless and Nobodies to rid all hearts of darkness. There is no way that you are anything like a Heartless. Now come on, smile!" Geni grinned from ear to ear, cocking her head slightly. "Smile or I'll hit you with my bad arm and tell Aerith that you punched me."

Sora snorted at this, then laughed out loud. "Okay, okay, fine. You win." He smiled back at her, same goofy grin as she had given him. The others watched this conversation with interest, wondering just how those two had become so alike considering the major differences in their developmental process.

"Ahem," Leon said, clearing his throat. "If you two are done, shall we?"

Geni and Sora laughed and walked over to join their friends. While walking back to the town square, Leon relayed how Aerith had walked out of the tent to see them running out of the town square. That was just before the three of them had returned, and she set them off to see what was up. Geni was already following them before Aerith could stop her. "The rest of the town is fine; only a few structures collapsed and some minor injuries, but no fatalities. Cleanup will only take a week or so, depending on the extent of the damage. For now, Hollow Bastion is safe and secure – no more Heartless, no more Nobodies."

"That's good to hear," Sora said. "I guess we aren't really needed here then. We should stock up on supplies first though before we leave."

"And take a bath," Yuffie said, holding her nose. Geni, Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at their dirty clothes and faces. "All of you – you smell like…well, I don't know what but you stink. Stay the night and rest, then head out tomorrow morning. The worlds will be fine for one night, at least."

"I guess so," Donald said. "Okay, but we're leaving at the crack of dawn, okay guys?" Goofy and Sora nodded. Once in the square, the friends took their separate ways. Leon, Cid, and Yuffie had to check on their own residences as well, saying they would see them off in the morning.

"Well, the four of us will be staying in Merlin's guest rooms for now. When I left Aerith said she was going to head back to her house as well after she finished locking up the first aid tent. That will still be open for a few days just in case anyone gets hurt doing repairs and such. Ready to go?" Without waiting, Geni limped off towards the stairs leading to Merlin's borough. Sora followed close behind her, and Goofy and Donald followed him. Hopping down the stairs like a rabbit, they reached Merlin's house in record time, considering Geni's ankle. Merlin greeted them as they walked through the door.

"Welcome back, welcome back! I see you found them; good, good. Dinner will be whenever you're ready, so if the four of you wanted to wash up a little I've prepared the hot springs room."

"Really?" Geni said incredulously. "Thanks Merlin! That's going to feel great on my ankle."

"I'm not surprised, considering you shouldn't have been traipsing around town like that. If you don't stay off of it, you'll look like you have an elephant's foot instead of a human's. Now get going – the brooms will take care of your laundry for you."

"Thank you," the four of them said. Walking upstairs, Geni headed towards a door quite a ways down the hall. Opening it, a giant cloud of steam rushed out at them. "Wow," Sora said, quite impressed.

The room where Merlin's hot springs were was gigantic. Immediately as you entered there was a separation for men and women leading into the changing rooms. Geni waved and walked into the right door, while the other three headed towards the left door. Quickly changing into some trunks, Sora, Donald, and Goofy headed out into their side of the hot springs. The partition between the two sides reached up for twenty or so feet. The pools themselves were surrounded by natural rock formations, and the water steamed pleasantly. Sinking into the warm but not too hot water, Sora sighed with happiness.

"This feels great," he said, stretching out into the water. Donald was paddling around in the center of the large pool, and Goofy was gurgling on the far side near a small waterfall. Looking around, Sora noticed how quiet and peaceful everything was. And considering how huge this place was, Merlin certainly lived up to his reputation as a famed magician. Ducking his head under, Sora washed the grime and dirt off, feeling cleaner than he had in a while.

"How is it on your side?" he heard Geni say. Looking around, Sora wondered where her voice was coming from. "There's a speaker next to the wall." As if reading his mind, Sora saw a small box attached to the partition near the middle of the pool. Swimming over, he wondered how it worked. "So, how's the water?"

"How does this thing work?" he asked out loud.

"Just talk into it – it's automatic. The water feels so nice and warm – my wrist and ankle are feeling better already."

Leaning onto the rocks, Sora replied, "I know how you feel. I haven't been to a hot springs since my mom, dad, and I visited the mainland a few years ago. It's like I never battled at all today."

"Well, it helps that there's a little magic in here too, you know. I'm lucky – the Disney Castle was built over a natural hot spring, so I can use them whenever I want to."

"Lucky," Sora said. The steam from the water was making Sora's eyes feel droopy, and he splashed some water onto his face to stay awake. While doing this, Sora thought about what had happened that day. His heart sank when he thought about the information he had been given from Axel and Saïx. _Kairi_, he thought, _just hang in there – I'll find you no matter what_. He rested his head onto his arms, deep in thought about one of his childhood friends.

"You okay Sora?" Geni asked.

"Just thinking about today," he said absentmindedly.

"Kairi?" she said quietly.

"Yeah," Sora replied. "I lost her once when her heart was taken from her; I don't want to lose her again."

Geni heard the tenderness in Sora's voice when he spoke of Kairi. _He really cares about her_, she thought. Geni's mind began to wander, thinking about someone else whom she was close to. _I hope he's okay – I wonder if he was the one who saved me earlier_. Stretching, she swam around in the large pool she had to herself. The water was helping to take down the swelling and soreness in her wrist and her ankle. Already the bruising had lessened, and the cuts were healing nicely.

Lying on her back floating in the middle, she closed her eyes, letting her body relax and relish the warmth. She heard Sora, Donald, and Goofy talking for a while, and then their voices rose slightly until someone was shouting and a large splash was heard, followed by some shouting from Donald. After that there was a half an hour or so of on and off silence and conversation. Geni sat up and wandered towards the speaker. "Hey guys, are you still over there?"

It took a moment, but Goofy finally answered. "Yup, but Donald and I are getting out now. Sora said he's going to stay in for a few more minutes then head out as well. Are you going too?"

"Yeah, pretty soon. I'll see you at dinner."

"Alrighty then, have fun." Geni heard some splashing from over the wall as Donald and Goofy left. Deciding to make sure she was completely clean, Geni swam under the small waterfall in the rocks and let the warm water wash over her. She rubbed her face, arms, and legs until her skin turned pink. Suddenly, she thought she heard someone calling her. Ducking out from under the water, she listened.

"You there, Geni?" Sora asked. She swam back to the speaker.

"What's up, Sora?" she replied.

"I was just doing some thinking, as long as Donald and Goofy aren't around. Do you…do you mind if I come over there and talk to you instead?"

"Um, sure. Just let me wrap up. There's an emergency door down by the steps that you can use." Geni quickly swam towards the end of the pool and grabbed one of the robes hanging there and threw it around her. As she finished tying her sash, Sora appeared through the doorway looking a little flushed and much cleaner than the last time she had seen him. Sitting down on a chair, she motioned for Sora to join her. "So what's up?"

Looking around, Sora began hesitantly. "Did you overhear what Saïx said earlier? About the Keyblade?"

"You mean about how you are supposedly helping the Organization by releasing the hearts they need to become whole beings once again?"

"Yeah, that." Sora twiddled his fingers. "What am I going to do? If I defeat the Heartless, then everyone is safer. But in doing so, I'm helping the Organization achieve its goals. However, if I don't innocent people will get hurt. What am I supposed to do if I can't use the Keyblade?" He looked at her despondently, as if she had the answer.

"Well," Geni began, "I suppose you really don't have a choice. Of course Heartless can be slain without the Keyblade, but the hearts are still released. So there is really only one option."

"What is it?"

"Defeat the Organization. If you get rid of them, you can destroy the Heartless without helping their cause."

"But I don't even know where they are most of the time. We run into one or two here and there throughout the worlds, but wherever they hide out – their main base – is what we need to find."

"Then you have to find the castle," Geni said.

"What castle?"

"The one I remember from my time being held there. Their main base is a giant gray castle high above a black city. The world it belongs in has a moon shaped like a heart. If you can find that place, you'll find the Organization."

"So you don't know where it is?"

"No. What I can remember, is that whenever I left the castle it was always with one of the members. They would create the portal of darkness and I would follow them through it. Inside were corridors with hundreds of doors each leading to a separate place. I'm afraid to get to the castle you need to find a way into one of the corridors of darkness."

Sora nodded, his sadness lifting a little with the hope that there was a way to get Kairi back from the Organization. "Well, if that's the only way. But how am I going to get someone from the Organization to open the doorway? I'd doubt they would do it voluntarily."

"I don't know – you're going to have to figure that out for yourself." Shivering a little, Geni stood up. "Well, I'm going to go change and head downstairs for dinner. Coming?"

"Yeah," Sora said. He walked back over towards the emergency exit. "Geni?"

"Yes?"

"Could you not tell Goofy and Donald about our conversation? I don't want them worrying."

"Of course." Nodding in appreciation, Sora walked back through the emergency exit and into the men's side of the hot springs. _Poor Sora_, she thought as she watched him leave. _He has the weight of the universe on his shoulders_. Entering the changing rooms, Geni found that her clothes had been cleaned for her. She slipped them on, dried her hair, and rewrapped her bandages on her wrist and foot and put on her sling. The bruising had all but disappeared on her wrist, and the cuts were only little pink lines on her ankle. The swelling on the ankle itself was greatly reduced as well. Still, she didn't want to take any chances. Carefully, she walked to the entrance to wait for Sora. While sitting on a bench she mused as to how they could find a doorway into the dark realm. _Riku wouldn't be able to help – at least not yet. There has to be some kind of regular entrance; every world has a way to get in that doesn't involve teleporting yourself there. If I'm right, he was probably the person who saved me and left the box next to me earlier. Was the ice cream and the photograph some kind of clue? What did Riku say when he was talking about waking Sora up...he had to find someone first, right?_ Geni was startled out of her musings when she heard footsteps coming towards her.

"Ready to go?" Sora's clothes were completely void of dirt as was the rest of him.

"Sure. I hope dinner will be ready soon – although be warned. Merlin's cooking isn't quite as good as his magical abilities." Laughing while they walked out the door, the twins strolled down the hallway and down the steps to the main floor where a table laden with food awaited them.


	19. Deciphering The Clues

Chapter 17

Two hours later, Sora was up in the guest room with a stomachache. "Oh," he moaned, clutching his stomach. Geni was sitting next to him, concocting a potion to alleviate his stomach pains.

"Hey, I warned you about Merlin's cooking. He's getting better, but he still orders out a lot. It was probably the casserole that did you in." She grabbed a bottle from the nightstand and poured some powder from it into her mortar dish, using a pestle to mix it around with the paste already in the dish. It was taking her longer than usual because she could only use one hand, but she was quite dexterous. "You should have only had a small helping, like I did. But no, three mounding platefuls?!"

"Hey, it was good!" Sora tried to reason. But his stomach spoke louder than he did, causing him to roll over and clutch it tighter. Geni rolled her eyes, grabbing one last bottle. Pouring in a thick liquid, the cup released some purple smoke, and the paste turned into a pink, nasty looking liquid. She poured it into a cup and handed it to Sora.

"Here, drink this. It will lessen the cramping, but take it easy for the rest of the night." Sora sat up, wincing, and took the cup from her. "Drink it quickly – it does taste horrible." Sora took her advice, and downed the mixture in two gulps. He almost retched because the taste and smell were so bad but almost immediately the pain lessened and he felt better. He handed back the cup and lay back down on the bed with a sigh.

"Ugh, that was terrible," he said.

"But aren't you feeling better?" Geni asked as she cleaned up her potion bottles, plugging them up and putting them carefully back into her sectioned container.

"Yes, I am. Thank you oh mighty potions master, I am not worthy."

"I'll take that as a thank you."

It was about nine o'clock; Goofy and Donald were packing the gummi ship and getting it ready for an early morning flight. Merlin had apologized over and over again because of his flawed cooking, and offered to send more food along with them. Politely dissuading him, Geni had taken poor Sora upstairs to where he could moan in peace while she made him the potion. "You're lucky I had my kit here, otherwise you wouldn't have been leaving as early as you are tomorrow morning."

Sighing heavily, Sora turned towards her. "I know, I know." His stomach still hurt a little, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. For the most part he was already ready for bed; he had taken his shoes and coat off before Geni had made him lie down so he would be more comfortable. He closed his eyes slowly, hearing Geni leave the room. He could hear her footsteps walking to her room next door, and some stuff moving around before she walked back in. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Are you going to bed then?" she asked him as she sat back down in her chair.

"Yeah," he said yawning. "Even with that soak in the hot springs, my body still feels exhausted from today. I hope Donald and Goofy are feeling okay."

"I'm sure they are, but I'll check on them before I head off to bed as well. They should be done soon; you're lucky Merlin gave you all separate rooms this time. Anyway," she said, getting up. She dragged the chair over to the wall with her good hand. Walking back over to pick up her case, she said, "I'll be heading out then. If your stomachache gets any worse, just come get me and I'll mix up something a bit stronger. Good night Sora."

"Good night." Geni walked out and closed the door. Sora rolled onto his side, the lights automatically dimming like before. Unfortunately, his slow to fade stomachache kept him up, making him think of things better left alone.

_Everyone is depending on me. Kairi, to rescue her. Everyone here, for me to completely destroy the Heartless and Nobodies. The Organization, to help them become whole. Well, that one maybe not so much, but technically yeah. And I promised Geni that we would all go home together – and that promise includes Riku _and_ Kairi as well. What am I supposed to do? What am I _going_ to do? Stupid stomachache…pain in the rear…_ As Sora mused, he at last drifted off into a restless sleep.

Sora wasn't the only one with restless thoughts that night. Geni left and went to check on Donald and Goofy as promised. They had finished loading the gummi ship and were talking with Merlin when Geni walked downstairs. "So, how is Sora?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"He's fine, Merlin. Just a stomachache, nothing major. I gave him some potion to alleviate the cramps and pain so he should be sleeping soon. I wanted to check on you two, though. How are you feeling after today?" she said, looking at Donald and Goofy.

"Tired," Donald said with a yawn.

"Yeah, we busted up major scores of Heartless and Nobodies today," Goofy added.

"I see that the hot springs helped as well. No cuts or bruises left?" Merlin inquired.

"No, none. And my wrist and ankle are both feeling much better as well, considering."

"Ah. Well, a little magic never hurts, right?" He winked at the three. "Well now, I have some business to attend to with my crystal ball. If you'll excuse me?"

"Of course. Good night, Merlin, and thank you for letting us stay over."

"Anytime, my friends. I will see you in the morning." Bowing his goodbye, he walked towards his table and made himself comfortable before activating his crystal.

"We'll, that's our cue to go." Geni walked back upstairs and to her room. Turning, she said, "I'm heading off to bed as well. See you two in the morning."

"Okee-dokee. Good night." Goofy waved and headed towards the room on the other side of Sora's, and Donald the one after that. Geni closed her door gently, smiling at her friends. However, once the door was closed her smile disappeared and was replaced by a worried frown.

"What am I forgetting?" she asked herself. She changed into her favorite pajamas, the ones with the rainbow rubber duckies; Geni of course had been visiting, so she had some spare clothes in a suitcase with her unlike Sora, Donald, and Goofy. As she sat down on the bed and undid her braid, her long hair cascaded down her shoulders and her back. Taking a brush, she carefully began the tedious task of brushing it out with her good hand. While doing this, she mused aloud.

"Sora said he saw someone from the Organization with me when they found me. That must mean it was _him_ who saved me, and who also left the box. The ice cream and photograph must have been some kind of clue. But if I'm guessing right, it's meant to help Sora enter the realm of darkness somehow. The salty ice cream is a flavor I've never heard of, and besides it sounds revolting. The picture, the one with Hayner, Pence, Olette, and…Roxas, was it? Yeah, that's what Sora said. That picture must have something to do with the Nobody's world and Organization XIII. But what would those three and Twilight Town have to do with it?" Geni furrowed her forehead, deep in thought as she brushed out her hair.

Untangling the last knot, she finished and rebraided her hair. She removed her bandages for the night and placed them on the desk. Climbing into bed, her mind was still working too hard to concentrate on sleeping. The lights automatically began to dim, but did not go completely out as Geni was still sitting up in bed. Sitting with her knees pulled to her chin, she thought about what had happened that day.

_I was so scared when I felt that pain in my shoulder; it was almost like a wave of terror washed over me and I could barely breathe. But why could I feel Sora's pain? Is it a twin thing, or something else? How deep is the connection that we have with each other? Also, the incident with Maleficent – or really, what happened after it. I should have been crushed, but I wasn't thanks to some help. He says he wants to stay away from Sora because of what happened, yet he comes all the way here just to give him a clue and in the process save me yet again. I don't mind, but…he always does it! I can't do anything to protect myself, and when I can help them it's usually too late – hence Sora's dislocated shoulder that he shouldn't have had in the first place. Stupid heart…why can't I just…_ And with that, Geni lay down and rolled over to face the wall, still irritated and as unable to sleep as before.

Long into the night Sora, Donald, Goofy, and eventually Merlin slipped off into the Land of Nod, whereas Geni couldn't fall asleep no matter what. She even tried a sleeping spell on herself, but it only lasted for an hour or so. Rolling over once again she noticed that her portable alarm clock read 2:34 am. Sitting up she mentally yelled at her brain to shut down for the night. Finally deciding that maybe a little exercise would wear her out, she got up and put on a long jacket and her sandals. Opening her door as quietly as she could, she stepped out into the hallway. Listening she heard three sets of snores coming from down the hall, and assumed it would be safe. After the soft click of her door closing, she walked quickly and quietly down the stairs. The lights began to flare to life and Geni swiftly had to spell them to keep the light down. Walking towards the front door she once again checked that no one had followed her.

Stepping out into the fresh night air, Geni took a deep breath. The air was cool, and she was glad she had put on her coat. Merlin's borough was still, the houses dark. The moon was shining brightly in the sky, almost completely full. Geni began walking towards the bailey to get a better view of the tranquil night. Climbing the steps was easier now than it was before so she wasn't even out of breath when she reached the top. Walking towards the edge, she admired the darkened landscape. The moon lit up the chasm and the small canyons around it, casting a pale glow onto the ruins in the distance.

The wind was blowing softly, fresh and clear. Taking yet another deep breath, Geni could feel her body and mind finally relaxing, enjoying the scene before her. However, the wind was also very cool and she pulled her coat closer around her. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander. She must have been at the bailey for nearly twenty minutes or so like this when she heard someone or something calling her.

"Geni..." the wind sighed, wrapping her name around her. She opened her eyes and sensed for any enemies. She could feel nothing and no one, only people sleeping in the houses below her. "Geni..." it whispered again. She turned around and peered into her moonlit surroundings. Swinging her head from right to left, she didn't see anything until she spotted something small resting on the other ledge of the bailey. Walking over carefully, she was surprised and pleased at the same time at what was there. A small purple flower with a bright blue and red interior was tied with a black ribbon, and attached to the ribbon was a small piece of paper. It was her favorite – the Fortuna flower was only native to one place in the entire universe: the central garden back home at the Disney Castle. No one knew why, but it grew there all the time, even in the winter. Picking up the small flower, Geni breathed in its wonderful fragrance. Seeing the note, she opened its small flap and read it quickly. Smiling, she tucked the note into her jacket pocket with the black ribbon and quickly walked back down the bailey steps and towards Merlin's house.

Once inside, she grabbed a tall glass from one of Merlin's cabinets and filled it with water, placing the Fortuna flower inside. Carefully walking up the stairs as not to spill it, she opened her door and closed it hurriedly before anyone could see her. Smiling, she placed the flower on the nightstand next to her bed. Removing her coat and sandals, she quickly slipped under her covers, the lights dimming promptly. She smiled and stared at her flower until her eyes drooped and she drifted off into blissful sleep.

Sora woke up refreshed and rejuvenated. Looking out his window, he realized the sun was just coming up, and most of the people in the city were not up yet. Knowing Donald wanted to leave early, he got up right away and headed towards the bathroom next door to wash up. Geni's door, however, was still closed and he assumed she was still asleep; he had not heard any of her restless wanderings during the night. Donald and Goofy were also just waking up as Sora exited the bathroom, and he met Goofy in the hallway on his way.

"Morning Goofy," Sora said with a yawn.

"Hey, feelin' better?" he asked.

"Much. I can't wait to get going again." At this point he stretched from his toes to his fingers, showing off his newly grown few inches.

Goofy chuckled. "Well, as soon as we eat a quick breakfast we're leaving, so hurry up."

"Okay." Sora headed back to his room and grabbed the few things he had. Opening the small nightstand to get his Kingdom necklace, he noticed something he had almost forgotten about: Geni's journal. _I had almost forgotten about this! Donald gave this to me before we went to search for her – it's what led me to her._ Sora grabbed the purple journal and went to Geni's room. Knocking, he called, "Geni, are you up yet?" He heard some mumbling inside and a bed squeaking before any footsteps were audible.

Opening the door a little, Sora saw a pair of tired eyes. "Sora? It's only six in the morning. What is it?" she asked drowsily.

"I, uh, wanted to give you something."

"Can it wait five minutes until I get decent?" Sora peered around the door and realized she was still in her pajamas, his face turning a pretty shade of pink.

"Oh! Uh, sure. I'll meet you downstairs." Geni closed the door and Sora turned around to head down the steps. _She looked exhausted_, Sora thought to himself. _Those huge bags under her eyes…I wonder if she didn't sleep well because of her wrist or ankle…_

Quickly making her bed, Geni ran to the washbasin and washed up in record time. She pulled some semblance of an outfit together before she brushed and braided her hair. She also rewrapped her ankle and wrist, with surprisingly little pain if none at all. Within ten minutes she was walking downstairs more awake than she was before, although she still had bags under her eyes. "Morning," she yawned as she sat down at the table.

Sora was devouring a bowl of cereal when she arrived. "Good morning," he said brightly. Geni grabbed a lemon poppy seed muffin from a plate in the middle of the table and began unwrapping it. "So what did you want to give me that was so important that it couldn't wait, Sora?" she said as she took a bite.

Sora set his spoon down and reached into one of his large pockets and took out the journal. "I believe this is yours, the one you were talking about, isn't it?"

Geni started, almost choking on a piece of muffin. She put out her hand slowly, realizing what Sora was holding. He handed it to her, and she clasped it with both of her hands. She ran her fingers down the worn binding, feeling the faded cover. "Where did you get this?" she whispered.

"Donald gave it to me."

"But I thought I had lost it for good," she said as she hesitantly opened it and began paging through the small book.

"Well, you had until we found it again," Donald said. Geni and Sora looked up to see Donald and Goofy walking down the stairs. "A month or two after you left, someone here found it and gave it to Leon, realizing it was yours. He kept it until he saw us again, when we could take it back to the Disney Castle." They sat down at the table, also eating some breakfast.

As Geni leafed through her old diary, she could only smile at some of the things she had written in it. Much of the latter was about her dreams of Sora and the Destiny Islands, but the beginning was about her daily life at the Disney Castle and her trips to Hollow Bastion.

_Today Lady Daisy took me to my favorite meadow outside of the castle where the amaranths grow. I even got to see a real faerie! Although Lady Daisy said it was just the sun playing tricks on me._

_Leon said I'm getting much better at my sword work. He said we could start broadswords next week after I'm finished with the rapier. Although, I still prefer my staff to any other weapon._

_Master Yen Sid has assigned me one of the hardest spells yet. In two weeks I must concoct a potion and accompanying spell for reproducing and healing wounds caused by a degenerative disease that attacks dividing red blood cells in the body. It's hard to study when the samples I am working with just dissolve and disappear all of the time, but I guess that is why it is so tricky to produce the right antidote for it._

She smiled, remembering how that particular exam had gone. Chuckling, she turned a few more pages and encountered some of her younger self's drawings. Stick figures after so many pages turned into delicate and detailed drawings. Although, she still had to admit that sometimes there wasn't enough room for her to continue some of her thoughts: hence the writing across, up, down, and every which way across some of the pages.

Leaning over, Sora said, "Nice drawing." He was referring to the page Geni was currently looking at which had a large and detailed drawing of his Kingdom Key on it.

"Thanks. It was one of the last ones I had drawn in this before I lost it. You guys don't know how much it means to me to have this back," she said with a wistful smile.

"Well, you're welcome," Donald said gruffly, stuffing a slice of an orange in his mouth. Well, as anyone knows, Donald isn't one for being all emotional and such (I mean, look at what he did to Goofy when he realized he wasn't dead. Author one, video game zero.)

As Geni paged through her old journal and as Sora, Donald, and Goofy ate breakfast, they sat in a comfortable silence. Unbeknownst to the four, this would be the last time they would all be together before their worlds' would fall apart.

In less than an hour, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were ready to launch in the gummi ship. Geni and Merlin were the only ones there to see them off; Leon, Cid, Aerith, and Yuffie were tending to the damages in town and so sent their farewells and well wishes with Geni and Merlin.

"Now be careful, my boy. Those Organization chaps aren't fooling around anymore, it seems."

"We will, Merlin. And thanks for letting us stay at your house last night."

"Anytime. I have plenty of guest rooms!" he said with a wink. Sora smiled, and walked up to his sister.

"Take care, Sora, and don't try to get into _too_ much trouble, okay?"

"I won't," Sora replied with a laugh. "You be careful too, and try not to overdo yourself – that wrist and your ankle still need to heal."

"Yes, _mother_," she replied. "By the way Sora, I've been thinking about that box Donald found yesterday. I think it must have something to do with Organization XIII."

Sora leaned in closer, eying Donald and Goofy over near the ship as they said goodbye to Merlin. "Yeah? What's up?" he said quietly.

"I'm not sure, but I have a funny feeling that Twilight Town is where you'll find some answers. I don't know why someone in the Organization –"

"Actually, I think it was Riku." Geni raised her eyebrows at this suggestion. "Don't look at me like that. I mean, who else could it have been? No one knows where he is right now, except for King Mickey. But since he's gone to who knows where I can't ask him. No one in the Organization itself would give us these kinds of clues; maybe Axel, but I highly doubt it. Furthermore, if it was Riku, why? Why wouldn't he just say whatever it was in person or leave a message rather than a photo and some ice cream?"

"I can't answer that question Sora. Maybe, if it _was_ Riku, he wanted you to find the answer by yourself. He probably had a very good reason for doing it." Geni was finding it difficult to keep her tongue from revealing everything to Sora. "Either way, I'm sure you'll find the answers you're looking for. I'll keep looking for any information that can help you as well."

"Sora! Move it!" Donald quacked from the gangplank of the gummi ship.

Sora rolled his eyes. "I guess it's time to go," he said.

Geni smiled, saying, "Come back soon Sora." She stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. "Please be careful when you've found what you have been looking for," she whispered in his ear. She let him go slowly, her eyes sad. Sora gave her a confused expression before he heard Donald calling for him again.

"I will," he said, puzzled, before he ran towards the gummi ship. The door closed swiftly behind him, and the engines roared to life. Strapping himself in, he looked out the window to where Geni and Merlin were waving goodbye. As the ship lifted off Sora felt his chest restrict, a sense of utter dread come over him – he felt as if he would never see her again. Geni and Merlin grew smaller and smaller as they headed into the outer atmosphere and entered the gummi conduits. Sora stared at Hollow Bastion until it turned into just another star among the universe.

"Gawrsh, Sora, we'll be back sooner than you think," Goofy said as he noticed Sora staring out the window towards the world they had just left.

"Yeah!" Donald added. "Once we've figured out where the Organization's stronghold is, we'll bust them up and be back in no time!"

Sora smiled, but his heart was still uneasy. "Yeah, you're right! Let's do it!"

Geni also watched until the gummi ship disappeared into the starry universe. She stood looking up at the sky long after Merlin went back inside his house. _I'm sorry, Sora, that I couldn't tell you more. I hope you can figure it out in time; for now, I'll help you as much as I can._ Her face set in grim determination, she headed inside to pack her things. She kept her hand in her pocket holding tightly to the note she received the night before:

_Geni,_

_The doorway to the darkness can only be opened in a place where the sun never sets and the moon never rises. To seal the door two keys are needed: one to unlock and one to lock. However, the key to unlock the door can be used in several different ways; that is the danger – the door _can_ be opened in ways other than that of the Organization's original plan. Please, be careful._


	20. Doorways

Chapter 18

The next few weeks kept Sora, Donald, and Goofy on their toes. Running from world to world, they fought the Heartless and Nobodies while at the same time trying to locate King Mickey, Riku, and the doorway to the realm of darkness. Some of the worlds they had already visited needed their help yet again; even some members of the Organization showed up in a few of them.

After all of this blitzing was done, the three finally had time to follow the clues' they had found while they were briefly in the realm of darkness. Sora assumed they were clues because he believed they were given to them by Riku. His assumption was further strengthened by the encounter he supposedly had with him in the Land of Dragons. While there, a strange person in black forced his way to see the Emperor and told him of an honored dragon who had been turned into a Heartless. However, he told the Emperor not to worry because "three wise guys" had already arrived to solve the problem. Recognizing Riku's sarcasm, Sora finally knew that his best friend was alive and well.

Following Geni's advice, the three took a trip to Twilight Town. Reasoning that the building in the photograph was a clue to where the door to the darkness lay, they went in search of an old looking mansion. Oddly enough, it did look like the one they had emerged from during their initial awakening several months ago. Finding one on the outskirts of town, the three were shocked to find their three friends unconscious just outside of its gates.

Sora ran up to Hayner. "Hey, are you alright?" he said in a worried tone. "What happened?" Hayner sat up dizzily, and then fell back down onto his bottom.

He looked at Sora, unable to meet his eyes. "We came here looking for Kairi. Then those white things attacked us…"

"You didn't have to go and do that! You all could have gotten hurt." Sora protested.

"Hey! Of course we did! Kairi's our friend too, you know," Hayner said stubbornly. Standing up, he crossed his arms in annoyance.

Sora smiled. "You know, you're right. I never really thanked you all for helping her out and befriending when she came here. Thanks, you guys." Pence and Olette had risen to their feet and rejoined the group with Donald and Goofy in tow.

Hayner turned to face the old mansion. "We've heard that this mansion gets plenty of really strange visitors."

"We thought this place might be a gateway to an alternate Twilight Town of some kind," Olette added.

"What do you mean, an alternate Twilight Town?" Sora said questioningly.

"Goofy, do you still have that crystal of yours?" Pence asked him. Goofy dug his hands through his pockets for a moment and produced the round blue crystal and the bag it came in and held it up for everyone to see.

"You see, I made that munny pouch myself – so there shouldn't be two of them here," Olette said as she held up her own as proof.

"And this is the trophy Seifer gave you; you left it behind, remember?" Hayner said as he held it up.

"It's the only one of its kind; same goes for all four of the crystals. Yet you have a double of the blue one. So, where did you get it?" Pence inquired of Sora.

"The King gave us the pouch with munny in it for the train ride, and the crystal was in it too," Goofy pondered as he scratched his head in thought.

"So where did he get it from?" Olette wondered out loud.

"See? There _has_ to be another town like this one somewhere; that would explain how the King got the bag and the crystal. Everything makes sense…in a strange sort of way," Hayner concluded.

"How so?" Sora asked, just as puzzled as Donald and Goofy.

"The other town must have whatever went missing from this town – like Kairi," Olette implied. As this realization dawned on the trio, several Dusks suddenly appeared behind the group. The party readied themselves for battle, only to see King Mickey destroy the Dusks with his Keyblade.

"Your majesty!" Goofy shouted as he ran to greet him.

"I've got important news!" the King told them happily as he diminished his Keyblade. "I've found out where Ansem is – the _real_ Ansem, Ansem the Wise! He's already snuck into Organization XIII's stronghold."

"And we've figured out where Kairi is!" Sora told him equally as happily, if not more so.

"So why did you all come here?" the King asked.

"Someone sort of gave us a clue," Sora hinted.

"Who?"

"Well, your majesty, Sora thinks it might have been Riku," Goofy said with a hint of doubt in his voice.

"I'm sure of it!" Sora replied indignantly.

"Well, if you think that's who it was, then I'm sure you are probably right."

"Then you mean Riku really is okay!" Sora shouted, practically bursting out of his skin.

"Well, if that is what you think…" King Mickey suddenly became very quiet again, just like the last time Sora tried to ask him about Riku in Hollow Bastion.

He suddenly felt a surge of anger towards the mouse. "I've waited long enough, your majesty! Tell me what you know!" he said, crossing his arms in annoyance.

King Mickey turned, avoiding Sora's earnest gaze. "I can't tell you; otherwise…I would be breaking my promise," he finished quietly.

"You made a promise to Riku?!" Sora suddenly shouted. King Mickey's eyes widened in surprise, but he covered his mouth a little too late. "So he is okay! I can see him again!"

"Who's Riku?" three voices suddenly popped up. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had been eavesdropping in on their conversation with interest.

"My best friend," Sora said with a large grin.

"That's IT!" Pence said, slamming his fist into his hand.

"Your majesty? You got the pouch and the crystal from Riku, didn't you? And you promised not to tell, _right_?" Olette asked sweetly, her gaze resting on King Mickey. She was smiling, but her stare could have burnt holes through his head.

"Oh…okay, fine! I did! But I promised…" King Mickey was beginning to look very nervous, a drop of sweat dripping down the side of his face.

"Alright then! Time to go!" Sora said, turning towards the mansion. "Kairi! Riku! We're coming!" And with that, the seven of them ran into the mansion to search for the doorway.

On another world, someone else was also preparing to enter into the realm of darkness. Geni was in her room at the Disney Castle, carefully packing supplies.

"Bandages, medicine, potion, ether, some snacks, what else am I forgetting?" she mumbled to herself as she packed a small knapsack. Unbeknownst to the seven in Twilight Town and the rest of the castle, Geni had been carefully monitoring Sora's whereabouts using the crystal she had given him. He didn't know it was also a tracking crystal, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right? It was the main reason she had known where to find him when he had gotten hurt in Hollow Bastion. Nodding to herself that she had everything she needed, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and once more studied herself in the mirror.

She was wearing her black boots, but sported a shorter skirt that was much more fitting for battle. Underneath the dark grey skirt she wore a pair of shorts-length leggings, and a light grey t-shirt was covered by a short-sleeved black bolero jacket with a hood on it. She was also wearing her arm braces, and at her waist was a belt with several loops on the side that held her staff snugly.

Nodding to her reflection, she began to place protective spells around her bedroom. Most were for being undetected while casting spells, a spell for keeping people out, a spell for silencing all noise within the room, and several others. She had to cast them so they would last only for an hour or two, leaving plenty of room before she would be found missing. Lastly, she walked over to her desk where a small piece of paper lay. Reading through it once more, she smiled sadly and hoped Queen Minnie would not be _too_ angry with her. She had been having a strange feeling lately, like she was needed somewhere urgently. Assuming it probably had something to do with Sora, she had geared up in secret and waited until he had found his final destination to finally leave.

At last she was ready. She walked over to a wall that had an archway drawn in chalk on it, a picture of half a sun and half a moon connected on it as well as indecipherable writing. Placing her hands upon it, Geni was about to recite the incantation when she heard a knock at her door. She spun quickly, throwing her knapsack under her bed and using an invisibility spell to hide the chalk on the wall. Lastly, she jumped into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Come in," she called and added a loud cough for good measure. Wait! The note! Geni quickly added an invisibility spell to it and it vanished just as her door opened and in came Lady Daisy.

"How are you feeling Geni? Any better?" Lady Daisy came and sat on the side of her bed.

"A little," Geni said meekly, hoping she wasn't putting on _too_ much of an act. In order to leave, she had decided to act sick and stay in her room all day. She hoped the body warming spell she had cast on herself earlier was still in effect. This theory was about to be tested because Lady Daisy had just reached forward to place her wing on Geni's forehead.

"Hmm, still a little warm, but less than before. It was probably a twenty-four hour flu like we thought. Still, Queen Minnie insisted that you rest and sleep for the remainder of the day. Do you need anything right now?" she asked as she stood up.

"No, but thank you," Geni said with a polite cough. "I think I'll go back to sleep now," she said as she rolled over. However, as she did, her staff straightened against the mattress and pointed up slightly through the comforter. Geni held her breath, hoping Lady Daisy wouldn't notice and see through her plan. Thankfully, she was already walking through the door.

"Alright. I'll wake you later with some soup for dinner. Good night Geni, and feel better."

"I'll try, thank you," she replied. Hearing the door click, Geni began to feel _extremely_ guilty for – in the near future – causing them all more worry and grief, yet again. As soon as she heard a second click from the outer door, she threw off the covers and jumped out of her bead. Quickly remaking it, she undid the invisibility spells and retrieved her backpack. Hoping for no more interruptions, she walked over to the chalk filled wall.

Placing her hands upon the drawing, Geni said confidently, "Velas soluna Twilight Town gateila domindi." The doorway began to glow until it turned into a shimmering pool of silver light. Looking around her room wistfully, she readjusted her backpack and headed into the light, disappearing from sight. Moments later the doorway disappeared along with her, faint outlines of the chalk still visible on the wall.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, Hayner, Pence, and Olette had just searched the old mansion from top to bottom until they remembered the strange basement they had woken up in. Finding the hidden stairs in the library, they made their way down into the metal encased corridors. After a few minutes, they found what seemed to be a control room with a large computer in it. "Hey, this must be it!" Sora said excitedly. "But, how does it work?"

"Let me handle this," Pence said as he cracked his fingers. Sitting down at the station, he began typing on one of the keyboards. "Okay…here we go…uh-oh."

"What?" Sora asked.

"It's asking for a password – do you have any idea as to what it might be?"

"Well," Goofy said, "We have the photograph that was in the box…"

"And the ice cream!" Donald added, rubbing his stomach.

"That's right!" King Mickey said with a laugh. "Ansem the Wise loved ice cream! I bet that's the password!"

"What is, ice cream?" Pence asked, ready to type it in.

"No, that would be too easy. I betcha it was his favorite flavor: Salty-Sweet!"

Pence quickly began to type, and soon the computer whirred to life. "It worked!" A machine next to the computer with a long needle shaped object above it began to glow brightly.

"Let's go!" Sora said, heading for the machine.

"We'll hold down the fort for you," Hayner said.

"Say hi to Kairi for us!" Olette added.

"You guys had better come back to tell us an amazing story!" Pence said, giving them a thumbs up.

"Of course – take care guys," Sora said. King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Sora stepped onto the platform under the machine. The needle began to glow with white hot electricity. It sent an electrical shock down the edge of the platform's invisible walls, creating a cylindrical chamber within it. The group disappeared in a flash of numbers and calculations.

Moments later, the four materialized in what appeared to be the same place. "Are we back in the same place? Maybe the machine malfunctioned…" Sora thought as he took a look around.

"No, look!" shouted King Mickey. Donald, Sora, and Goofy followed King Mickey's voice to see the same computer they had just been using in shambles. It looked like someone had smashed it with a vengeance.

"This _must_ be the other Twilight Town…Roxas's Twilight Town…" Sora mused. He could imagine Roxas there; maybe he was the one who had smashed the computer.

"Well, there has to be an entrance into the dark realm somewhere around here," King Mickey surmised. "We had better start looking – it doesn't seem like this will be our way back…" as he eyed the broken machinery. And with that, the four of them began searching through the basement of the old mansion in the twin Twilight Town.

As Sora, King Mickey, Goofy, and Donald were searching for the doorway, Geni arrived in the sandlot of Twilight Town in a cyclone of magic and wind. The corridor she had used to arrive there hadn't been used in quite some time, so forcing the magic through it had taken much longer than she had anticipated. Coughing, she waved away some of the magic to see three people watching her. "Hello!" she called to them. "Does this happen to be Twilight Town?"

A young man in a white coat, a large muscular man next to him, and a girl with silver hair were watching her with cautious looks. The man in the white coat was the first to reply, stepping forward haughtily. "Yeah, this is Twilight Town, and you're in the sandlot. What's it to you?" he said, eying her.

"Well, at least I'm in the right place," she said with a smile. "Can you tell me if there is an old mansion around here somewhere? I'm hoping to meet up with some friends of mine."

"So what if there is? It's not like –" Geni cut his tough guy speech short.

"I asked if there was or wasn't one. I didn't ask your opinion on it," she said brusquely.

"Hey, you can't talk to Seifer like that, y'know!" the big guy interjected.

"Oh? So you're Seifer. I've heard plenty from Sora about you – you're the resident bully, are you not? I don't particularly like bullies, you know." Geni grabbed her staff and flipped it out to its full length, spinning it dangerously.

Seifer stepped back a little at the mention of Sora's name – he had given him the trophy, he was the strongest in Twilight Town, after him of course. He was also just realizing that whoever this girl was, she looked _a lot_ like him. Resuming his tough guy image, he turned to her and said, "Hey, I'm no lowlife. I run the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee; I get rid of bullies, not become them. If you're looking for the old mansion, follow this road to an opening in the wall. It's just outside of the forest."

Geni spun her staff around a few more times, before deciding to slide it back in on itself and put it into its holster on her hip. "Thank you Seifer, and you too, Rai and Fuu. Say hello to Vivi for me, okay?" With a short bow and a smile she began to follow Seifer's directions down the road. The three of them looked at each other with incredulous looks, even Fuu.

"Who _was_ that?" Seifer muttered to himself.

"Friend?" Fuu said with a shrug.

Walking down the road, Geni easily came upon the opening in a large wall. Stepping through it, she suddenly appeared in a large and very old forest. A worn path meandered through the trees to an opening some distance away. Following it, Geni was awed by the tall trees around her. _These must be hundreds of years old, judging by their size_, she thought to herself. She admired the beauty of the woods, the sound of bird calls all around her, saddened at the prospect she might not be able to visit it again. She had already felt Sora's presence leave this world as she was in the gateway, and wherever he was now was trying to block the signal she was receiving from his crystal. This meant that wherever he was, she had to go there as well to find him.

She was torn out of her musings when she came upon an opening in the trees. Directly in front of her was a rusty gate leading up to an old mansion. "Well, this must be the place," she muttered. Looking around, she didn't notice one Nobody or Heartless. "I wonder why no one is guarding this place…?" she speculated. Pushing open the corroded gate, she walked up the overgrown main path and into the building. She noticed that people had been there just recently; the dust on the floor was unsettled and some of the objects had dusty fingerprints on them. She walked around the first floor until she came to the library and saw the more modern basement. Not only that, but she could hear voices drifting up from one of the corridors below her.

Walking down the steps, she wandered around the basement, wondering to what its purpose might be. Of course the crystal was able to track Sora, but it didn't have the capability to read his mind or listen to what he was saying. As she turned down yet another hallway, she caught sight of three people standing in front of a large computer.

"I told you, they weren't disintegrated," a larger boy was telling the taller boy next to him. "They were just transported somewhere."

"How can you be so sure?" the taller boy accused. "All we saw was them disappear in a huge flash of light!"

"Don't be silly. If this machine was meant to hurt someone, I doubt Riku would have given them those clues leading them here."

"Really?" Geni asked. The three teens whipped around to see Geni leaning on the doorway to the computer room. The taller boy instinctively went in front of his two friends, shielding them from a possible enemy.

"Who're you?" he asked warily.

"A friend," she replied. The girl in the orange shirt was looking at her strangely, her eyes furrowed. Stepping out from behind her friend, she walked up to Geni and inspected her closely, walking around her once. "Hey, uh, what are you doing?" Geni asked, feeling slightly self-conscious as she watched her.

The girl came to her front, looking at her face-to-face. "You're related to Sora, aren't you?" she asked with a smile.

"No way!" the larger boy said. He jumped up from the computer and walked over to them. "Hey, you're right! Same spiky hair, same blue eyes…"

"Calm down you two. How do you know it's not some trick?" he said, still watching Geni with his hands raised.

"Because I came here to follow Sora, not stop him, Hayner," Geni replied. Hayner let out a not so tough cough of surprise when he heard his name. "And you're Pence and Olette, right?"

"Well, that's three for three. So what's your name?" Olette asked, sticking out her hand.

Geni grasped it into a tight handshake. "The name is Geni; I'm Sora's twin sister."

"Nice to meet you Geni," Pence added. Hayner slowly walked up and mumbled a "hello" as well, his ego slightly deflated. "So you're here to help Sora, or something like that?"

"Yes. He left where I lived a while ago to search for a doorway, and it seems he found it here in this basement, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You just missed them," Hayner finally said. "They disappeared about a half an hour ago on that platform." He pointed to the platform with the needle above it next to the computer station.

"Really? How interesting." Geni walked up to the computer station and inspected the readouts from numerous screens. "An identical Twilight Town created inside of a computer, down to the very last brick. Quite a feat, I would imagine."

"You can read all of that?" Pence asked excitedly as he joined her. "I was only able to figure out a few of the algorithmic cycles belonging to the basic programming of the system so far."

Geni pointed to one of the screens that displayed several wavelengths and continuous patterns of numbers. "These sequences were last modified about…six months ago or so…"

"Wasn't that when we first met Sora you guys?" Olette wondered out loud.

"That's right! We found him, Donald, and Goofy wandering around town just after the annual Struggle tournament," Hayner added.

"Hmm. Sora said he 'woke up' here in Twilight Town, and he had mentioned a laboratory with some white pods. I wonder if this was that place? And if so, why was he sleeping here? And why didn't Riku tell me about it?" Geni carried on a conversation with herself, oblivious to the strange looks the others were giving her.

"Hey, Geni? You know Riku?" Olette asked.

"Hmm?" Geni looked at them. "Oh! Sorry! Mumbling out loud, I suppose," she said sheepishly. "Anyway," she said as she turned toward the platform and diverting the course of the conversation, "I need to follow them to wherever they went. Can you send me there?" she asked Pence.

"Sure!" he said. Hopping back onto the chair, he began typing in the sequence to start the machine. "Step onto the platform, and the machine will do the rest." Geni nodded, and stepped onto the platform to face the three.

"Hey, Geni?" She turned, seeing Hayner and Olette approach the platform.

"What's up guys?"

"Could you do us a favor?" Olette asked with a smile.

"Anything, you name it."

"Make sure that all of you come back and visit, okay?" Hayner told her with one of his rare, serious faces. "I want to win that Struggle trophy back from Sora fair and square."

"_And_ so we can talk some more. Our visit with Kairi was…cut short, to say the least," Olette put in.

"Of course," Geni replied. "We'll be back before you know it!" she said as the needle above her began to glow like before. "Goodbye, see you soon!" Hayner, Pence, and Olette waved and called farewell as the platform was once again engulfed with electricity, surrounding her with numbers and calculations. In seconds, she was gone.

As Geni vanished, Queen Minnie was bringing up some soup to her room for her. _Poor thing, she just doesn't seem to _stay_ well lately_, she mused to herself. Opening her front door while balancing the tray of food in the other, she walked across the main room and knocked on the door to Geni's bedroom. "Geni? I've brought some soup for you." Hearing nothing, Queen Minnie assumed she was still sleeping. Opening the door, she said, "Geni? Here you –" The tray of food crashed to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere. Queen Minnie quickly searched the room with her eyes again, her hand still stifling a shout from her mouth. Geni wasn't there.

"Geni?" she called hesitantly, expecting her to jump out from behind her armoire and shout "Boo!" like she used to when she was little. As no one appeared, Queen Minnie stepped into the room, right through the spilled soup. She looked around slowly, unbelievingly. As her eyes came to rest upon a small piece of paper on Geni's desk, her heart sank. She dashed over and picked it up, reading it as fast as she could as though her life depended on it. Queen Minnie sank to her knees, the piece of paper falling gently from her hands.

_Queen Minnie,_

_Before you do or say anything, please don't worry. I've gone to help Sora and the others at the stronghold of Organization XIII. Besides needing to settle some personal scores, Kairi has been kidnapped by them and Sora might need help with rescuing her. I'll be fine with them; King Mickey, Sora, Donald, and Goofy I know will make sure that I come back fine._

_I _am_ truly sorry that I tricked you into thinking I was sick, but I knew that you would not have let me go if I had told you my true intentions anyway. I've taken emergency rations of potion and ether as well, and knowing those four they probably haven't prepared as well as they should have._

_So please, don't worry about me. I'll be home before you know it with King Mickey in tow. Then you can shout, yell, ground, and punish me all you want. See you soon!_

_Geni_

_P.S. Love you mom._


	21. Following Footsteps

Chapter 19

Sora, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had been searching for only a few minutes when they stumbled upon a large room not too far from the control room. It was sparse, but what had caught their attention was a glowing circle in the corner of the room. It was pulsing with flames of black and green, and an ominous aura could be felt coming from it.

"There…what is that thing?" Sora wondered. He had felt the aura, and was a little wary about getting anywhere near it.

"This is it, I'm sure. This is the portal to the dark realm, to the stronghold of Organization XIII. Are you ready?" King Mickey asked, speaking to all three of them and no one at the same time.

"As we'll ever be, your majesty," Sora said. Clearing his throat loudly, Sora slowly raised his hand towards the dark portal. As soon as he came within inches of it, he felt his body being sucked towards it.

He tried to fight the feeling, but he heard King Mickey say, "Don't fight it; let it draw you in." He looked around to see his friends, but only saw the room around him fading into the darkness. The pull was stronger now, and he felt his feet leave the floor as the room turned completely black. For a moment, Sora couldn't tell up from down or even feel most of his body. He was spinning, flying, soaring through dimensional space. It was disorienting, and making Sora feel vaguely nauseous.

Without warning, Sora felt his feet slam down onto the ground, making him fall forward onto his hands and knees. He quickly looked around to see that they were in an endless plain; not even any kind of ground underneath him could be seen, as if he was walking on air. Behind him was the portal they had just come through. All around it shone in whorls of light pink and white that were constantly moving and shifting, whereas in front of him were swirls of black and gray in the same endless motion. Standing up, he saw his friends near him, adjusting to their new environment. "What is this place?" he asked King Mickey.

King Mickey had been peering around, searching for something. "This is the place between the realm of light and the realm of darkness, and in the middle nonexistence, nothingness. If you were to choose a doorway to either side, you would end up in the light or dark realms. However, we need to find a doorway in the middle; since Nobodies don't really exist, I doubt their stronghold really does either. So, that means their stronghold is somewhere right here, in the middle."

"Well, I don't see any other portals," Donald retorted. "So what do we do now?"

"Make one somehow," King Mickey said. "There are no open portals; you must create them to use them. The way is open; it just needs to have a physical doorway."

"So how do we do that?" Goofy asked.

"Well, I don't really know. I used to be able to open portals using the dark power, but since I revealed myself at Hollow Bastion I can't do that anymore. I guess we're kind of stuck at the moment," King Mickey said uneasily. However, their predicament was short lived because at that very same moment hundreds of Dusks began appearing all around them.

"Just what we need," Sora moaned. Despite the Dusks annoyance, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey fought as hard as they could against them. But no matter how many Dusks they would destroy, three more would take its place. It was a never-ending battle. "It's no use!" Sora cried. "There are too many!" The four of them were now surrounded by a sea of gray.

"Don't stop moving, or the darkness will overtake you!" someone shouted. Searching for a voice, they saw Axel suddenly appeared in front of them and took out ten Dusks at once with his chakrams. "Get going!" he yelled at them, his green eyes blazing with an emerald fire.

"Why?" Sora questioned him, still wary of him even though he was a rebel of the Organization.

"Don't ask, just do it!" he ordered. Diverting his attention from his attackers for just a moment gave the Dusks the perfect opportunity to overwhelm Axel, jumping him and attacking him with their sheer numbers.

"Axel!" Sora shouted. He ran forward to deflect the Dusks, Goofy and Donald right behind him. Swinging his Keyblade, Sora defeated the mountain of Dusks that had dog piled onto the Nobody. "You okay?" Sora asked him.

Axel sat up, staring at Sora. "I kidnapped Kairi, but she got away from me. After that, Saïx caught her." He pounded his fist into the invisible ground. "He's another member of Organization XIII, Saïx. Got it memorized? Now go and save her!" Sora could see some hidden emotion, if Nobodies actually had any, emanating deep within Axel's eyes. From behind him, a swirling portal opened and out jumped a Dusk, heading straight for Sora's back. In the nick of time, he turned and sliced it with his Keyblade.

"Leave us alone!" he shouted. Sora, Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, and now even Axel fought as hard as they could against the ever rising numbers of Dusks. After a while, Sora and Axel ended up fighting back to back.

"I think I liked it better when they were on _my_ side," Axel said with a grimace.

"Feeling a little…regret?" Sora asked him, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Nah…I can handle these punks. Watch this!" he said with a wink. He leapt away from Sora and into the midst of the sea of Dusks. He let go of his chakrams, and they floated next to him as he summoned every ounce of power and control he had over his element of fire. Raising his hands, his chakrams began to glow and spin, faster and faster, until they looked like the fiery wheels of Helios's chariot. He suddenly pulled the power in unto himself, his strength rising until it burst forth from his body. Giant pillars of fire surrounded him, and a brilliant flash of light accompanied his destructive attack.

Moments later, when Sora could finally open his eyes, he was astounded at the scene around him. The army of Dusks had been disintegrated; the entire void they were in was completely empty except for himself, King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Axel lying prostrate on the ground in front of him. Sora ran over to him, seeing that his body was beginning to diminish, a few flames still burning on him from his kamikaze attack.

"You're…fading away…" Sora said, unsure of anything else he could say as he kneeled next to the brave Nobody.

"Well, that's what happens when you put you're whole being into an attack," Axel said with a wince. "You know what I mean; not that Nobodies actually _have_ beings, right?" He looked away for a moment. "Anyway, I digress. Go, find Kairi. Oh, I almost forgot…sorry, for what I did to her."

"When we find her, you can tell her that yourself," Sora said with a small smile.

Axel turned his head and looked towards the swirling sky above them. "I think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one." He began to laugh, strain evident in his voice.

"Axel, what were you trying to do?" Sora asked him. Goofy, Donald, and King Mickey by this time had come up to stand behind him as he spoke his last words to the dying Nobody.

"I wanted to see Roxas," he stated simply. "He…was the only one I liked…he made me feel…like I had a heart. It's kind of funny, in a way. You make me feel…the same." Sora shifted uncomfortably, the piercing gaze from the Nobody made him feel as if he were looking into his very soul. Suddenly Axel blinked, ending the uncomfortable eye contact. "Kairi's in the castle dungeon. Now go." In the middle of the corridor, just next to him, Axel raised his hand and opened a portal to the stronghold of the Organization. Once finished, his hand collapsed to his side, and he disappeared in a haze of darkness.

"Axel…" Sora whispered. He bowed his head, thinking of how Axel had gone from his enemy to his friend in such a short time. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he saw King Mickey standing next to him.

"We can't let his sacrifice be in vain," he said quietly. "The portal won't last too much longer, and we don't have any other way in. It's now or never." Sora nodded, standing up. The walked towards the portal Axel had made for them, using the last of his strength. Feeling the familiar pull of the portal, Sora let it claim him. The disorienting feeling wasn't as bad as before, and before he knew it his feet had landed him in a dark alleyway. He looked around, seeing that Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey had arrived safely with him as well. King Mickey walked ahead, as if he knew the area already. He stopped where the alleyway turned, and was looking up at something.

Sora raced down the alleyway, but halted in his tracks when he followed King Mickey's gaze. A giant gray castle shone in the distance, and high above them a heart-shaped moon cast a gentle glow onto the darkened street.

"A gray castle and a moon shaped like a heart. This has to be the place Geni was talking about!" Sora said, his heart beginning to race. "Axel said that Kairi was in the dungeon."

"Then we had better find a way to get to that castle!" King Mickey said. The four of them began to walk through the streets of the deserted city, each corner dark except for some areas where neon signs glowed with a quiet buzz. After a while, they entered a large open area, a skyscraper dominating the other buildings in the area. Several large televisions sat on top of it, their screens fuzzy and garbled. Sora felt strange, as if he had been to this place before. He stared at the skyscraper, wondering where this feeling was coming from. He shook his head, and began to walk again as he heard a shout from behind him.

"Sora!" Goofy cried out. Two Soldier Nobodies had their swords crossed in front of them, barring them from passing.

"Donald! Goofy! King Mickey!" Sora shouted as he ran back to help his friends. However, his progress was halted when the area around them began to grow hazy. Sora looked around for the cause, and was surprised to see a member of the Organization step out from a dark portal behind him. The member's hand began to glow in an eerily recognizable fashion. "A Keyblade?!" The individual's Keyblade was black, with a dark blue gem inserted into the pommel. Sora quickly called forth his own Keyblade. They jumped forward and their Keyblade's met, resulting in a large explosion of light all around them.

Suddenly Sora found himself on a large platform, running towards the stranger. The grappled for a moment before Sora demanded of the stranger, "Who are you?"

"Someone from the dark," the person said forebodingly. The struggled with each other for a moment, until they threw themselves away from each other, to opposite sides of the platform.

"You can't be Riku?!" Sora said incredulously.

The person straightened, looking Sora in the eye, if you could have seen them. "Riku? I defeated a Riku once."

"You lie!" Sora shouted.

The person in black prepared their two Keyblades, crouching low. "Tell me…tell me, why did he pick you!" He began to run towards Sora, trailing his Keyblades along the ground and creating sparks with them. Sora blocked his first attack, but had to jump out of the way to miss the second. He twisted around and blocked the stranger's attack from above, and swung around to pin his other Keyblade to the ground. The individual in black pulled his Keyblade free and jumped back a ways. He suddenly dashed forward, causing Sora to jump high in the air to avoid his attack. The person followed suite, the fight now continuing in mid-air. Sora did a Matrix, twisting around to block the Keyblade while he was upside down. However, the other person struck so hard Sora fell back to the ground, thankfully landing on his feet. He prepared himself for another attack as the member of the Organization stared at him from high above.

The member paused, looking at the stain glass floor beneath him. Sora stood amid the pictures of his friends from a year ago: Donald, Goofy, Kairi, and Riku. "I see. That's why." He quickly floated down to the ground and resumed his attack, thrusting, swinging, and blocking like an intricate dance between the two of them. He stopped Sora when he began to pound on his one Keyblade with both of his, alternating attacks but never letting up on Sora. Sora blocked as best he could, his knees coming closer and closer to the ground. At one critical moment, Sora's knee gave out, giving the other the chance to knock Sora's Keyblade out of his hand. It clattered to the floor at least twenty feet away from him.

Sora dashed over, hoping to retrieve his Keyblade, but the member stopped him using his own Keyblade to pin it to the floor. Sora felt his anger rising, as the member pointed his other Keyblade at him dangerously. He felt his fist clench painfully, before he opened it and called to his Keyblade with his heart. His Keyblade vanished from the floor and appeared in his hand.

"What?!" the member shouted in disbelief. Sora took this one vital moment and slashed at his opponent with all of his strength. The person paused, his Keyblades falling to the floor and vanishing. He stepped past Sora and fell to his knees, his hood falling off to reveal a young man with spiky brown hair. He shakily stood back up on his feet, the platform beginning to disappear in a tornado of light. "You make a good other," he said to Sora as he turned slightly, giving Sora a brief glimpse of his face.

Seconds later, Sora was once again staring up at the intimidating skyscraper. "You make a good other," Sora quietly repeated to himself.

"Are you okay?" King Mickey asked worriedly as they came up behind him.

"What…just happened?" Sora said, unable to make heads or tails of his previous situation.

"Gawrsh, I don't know. You just disappeared, and we had to fight some Nobodies."

"Oh. He said…he defeated Riku…"

"Who did?" Donald asked.

"That guy. The one in the black coat."

"But nobody could defeat Riku," Donald said confidently.

"Yeah, you're right." Sora felt a little better from Donald's reassurance.

"A black coat means Organization XIII. He must have been trying to trick you," Goofy added.

"Yeah, that must be why we didn't see him!" Donald also said. "You must be tired from all of this battling, Sora."

"Come on, let's find a way to get into that castle!" Goofy said. They all agreed, and began once again their long trek to find the entrance to the castle. As they were walking out of the square, Sora paused, once more staring at the skyscraper.

After another half and hour or so of searching, the four of them came to a dead end. However, this dead end ended on the edge of a large precipice, at which the center was the enormous floating stronghold of Organization XIII. "End of the road?" Sora surmised.

"There has to be a path somewhere," King Mickey said, scratching his head.

At that same moment, Kairi was sitting in a purple cage in the dungeon of the castle with Pluto. He had been doing tricks like somersaults and doggy dancing to entertain her, to keep her from feeling sad. She smiled, patting his head as he came to sit next to her. Suddenly, his ears perked as he heard someone outside of their cell. Kairi jumped up, hoping Sora or Riku had finally come to rescue her. Running to the bars, she looked through only to see her jailor, a blue-haired man with a cross shaped scar across his face.

"What are you going to do with us?" she demanded of him.

"You are the fire that feeds Sora's anger," he said straightforwardly. "But, you are not the only kindling for that kind of fire." With that said he turned and left leaving her in a state of fright.

"No…Sora's in danger…because of me," she said, her voice quivering slightly. Suddenly, Pluto started barking behind her. She turned, seeing one of those dark portals opening in the wall behind her. A girl in a white dress was standing in it, beckoning her to come.

"This way!" she whispered.

"Who are you?" Kairi whispered as well.

"Believe in yourself. Come on, hurry!" She held out her hand to her. Kairi hesitated for a moment, but swallowed her fear as she walked towards the portal. Slowly taking the girl's hand, a light emanated from their handshake, enveloping the cell around them.

Outside, Sora noticed that one of the lower points of the castle began to glow. His Keyblade suddenly appeared in front of him, floating in mid-air. Not quite understanding what it wanted him to do, he grabbed it. He felt the Keyblade, its gentle tug pulling his hand in the direction of the light. Pointing it, the Keyblade emitted its light from the tip in a swirling beam, a path emerging from the edge of the precipice they were standing next to and ran all the way towards the castle. Lowering it, he said determinedly, "Kairi…we're almost there."

Just as Sora, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had done before, Geni emerged into the basement of the identical Twilight Town. She also bore witness to the demolished computer, knowing that the portal she had just used would not be her way back home. Walking around the basement, she didn't see any signs of her friends. "I wonder where they could be? Did they find the –" As soon as she said this, she stepped into the large room and beheld the flaming portal in the corner. "Aha! That must be it!" Stepping towards it, she felt the ominous aura resonating from it.

"This definitely must be it by the feel of it." She stretched out her hand, recalling memories from entering into portals similar to this during her time with the Organization. This also prepared her for the fading room and disorienting feeling that accompanied her when she touched the portal. For her, the feelings were slight because she had been through them so often before, unlike Sora and the others.

Emerging into the voided space, the barrier between the realms of light and dark, Geni was unsure of what to do next. Here the details of what happened had always been a little fuzzy. Whoever she was with had brought them here, then they had walked towards the light side and opened a portal to the realm of light. On the way back, however, she didn't remember completely going over to the side of the realm of darkness, but rather somewhere in between. Also, since she could not create a portal of darkness, how was she supposed to get there in the first place? "Good going Geni. You've gotten yourself stuck in the void; wonderful."

Geni was also slightly fearful, because here the Heartless and Nobodies were in free reign. They couldn't get to the realm of light without a doorway, but they could come between the realm of darkness and the void with relative ease. If she stayed here for too long, they would be after her heart – my mistake, half a heart – in no time. Walking around, she looked for any indication of a leftover portal she could use her magic on, but found nothing until she saw something black on the ground in front of her. It was a small piece of black cloth, similar to that of the Organization's coats. Picking it up, the piece began to glow red hot in her hands. She dropped it and a bright light exploded from piece of cloth. She shielded her eyes, but soon opened them seeing that the void around her seemed to be flowing backwards. _A time spell?_ Geni wondered. She looked around and suddenly saw Sora kneeling in front of her talking to a member of the Organization who was fading away into the darkness, as King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy stood next to her. As soon as she realized who it was, she gasped out loud. The time spell froze, now sending time forward so she saw the demise of the red-headed member of Organization XIII.

"Axel," she whispered. The remnants that had been fading into the air paused, and began to swirl around in a small tornado, shaping themselves into an unknown object. In a moment, Axel was standing in front of her, Sora and the others long gone. The whorls all around her had resumed their normal course as well.

"Hey," Axel said, waving.

"Axel? But I thought…" Geni left the sentence hanging, unable to grasp the right words to say.

"That I was dead, right? Bingo. However, I had the feeling you would be following Sora, so I left just a piece of my power behind. How are you doing, kiddo?" he said with a smile.

"Alright," she said as she walked up to him. You could see straight through him, and she tested this theory by sticking her hand through his chest.

Axel laughed. "That tickles."

"Just had to be sure," she said with a shrug.

"Very funny. I know poking me fun of me is quite entertaining, but you need to get going." Axel raised his hand, and like before he opened up one last portal to The World That Never Was. "Hurry, before Sora gets into real trouble."

"Axel," Geni said, staring at the portal. "What will happen to you now?"

"Don't know. Maybe I'll go to where all Nobodies go when they're destroyed. Maybe I'll find my original self somewhere out there, like Roxas and Naminé did." He shrugged, his eyes belying his calm expression. "I don't know…"

"Axel?" He looked at her, seeing her sad smile. "You always did make the best fireworks in all of Hollow Bastion." Axel's body began to dissolve into thousands of little pieces. "Please rest in piece, my old friend." Bits of black swirled around her until they disappeared altogether into oblivion. Geni was sad that one of the nicer members of Organization XIII had passed away, but hopefully his last acts of redemption had earned him a place in the light. Feeling a lump forming in her throat, she shrugged off the constricting feelings and headed towards the portal Axel had formed for her.

The portal had led her to the right world, but what she was unprepared for was the place she had landed in. The dark alleyway had no signs, no landmarks she could make out telling her where she was. Since the alleyway was a dead end, she strolled forward until a turn showed her exactly where she was. In the distance was a glowing gray castle, the moon above her in a heart shape.

"I'm back," she said quietly to herself. Looking around, she realized she had entered in on the south side of the city, several miles away from her destination. "Figures," she mumbled.

Following the somewhat familiar streets, she made her way slowly through the city. The Heartless and Nobodies seemed to be out in full force, as if they felt the presence of those with hearts just ripe for the picking. She destroyed a few along the way, but didn't want to risk an encounter with one of the patrols', which would only lead to her discovery. Besides, the trek up to the castle was taking quite a toll on her anyway; not only physically, but she had used a lot of magic to make the original portal from the Disney Castle to Twilight Town. Thank goodness the next portals had done all the work for her. She also let her magic charge up normally, preferring to walk it off rather than use any unnecessary bottles of ether. Geni's only hope is that she would make it to the castle in time.


	22. Reunions

Chapter 20

His excitement building, Sora began to run along the path of light towards the castle, not slowing until they had reached the large gateway. Sora looked around, seeing nothing but the gray walls all around them. "Kairi! Where are you!" he shouted.

"Shh!" King Mickey said, running up to him. "Remember where we are! This is their stronghold!" He then suddenly dashed off, running towards a stairway leading into the depths of the castle.

"Wait for us! Your majesty!" Donald shouted. He shook his head in frustration; and _he_ was warning Sora to remember where they were? However, at that very moment, the residents of the castle decided to bring on the welcome wagon for the trio.

"Be careful! I think we have company!" Sora said redundantly as he readied his Keyblade, Goofy his shield, and Donald his staff.

At that same moment on the other side of the castle, Kairi, Naminé, and Pluto were running down many flights of stairs. Naminé had freed Kairi from her cell, and now Saïx was not too far behind them with his Nobodies. As they turned a corner, however, Naminé had a strange feeling overcome her, as if she was being pulled to somewhere. She stopped, leaving Kairi to run a few feet before she stopped as well. Kairi gave her a strange look, but then followed her gaze. She tightened her grip on Naminé's hand, because in front of them stood Saïx with two large Nobodies on either side of him, blocking their path.

"Naminé…there you are," he said with his husky voice.

Kairi looked at the girl strangely. "Naminé?" she wondered out loud. Hadn't she been the girl –?

"I'm afraid leaving is not an option, Kairi." Saïx derailed her train of thought, his hand stretched out to hers. "I'll take you to see Sora," he promised. Kairi stepped back, her arms instinctively shielding her from him. "You don't want that?" Saïx said, amused.

"I do," Kairi said earnestly. "More than anything. But not with you around!" she said as she took up an offensive stance. Naminé copied her moves, assuming the same pose. The same pose, the same heart, the same body.

"If I had a heart, this is where I would have died of laughter," Saïx said, pretending to mock them. However, his pretense of glee was cut short when he heard one of his Nobodies fall behind him. A tall individual in black was standing behind it, just as it disappeared. In his hand was a blue and red sword with a curved blade, a circular grip on the pommel. The blade looked sinister, yet the white wings on the handle and tip radiated a sense of hope and safety.

"You…" Saïx said threateningly. "Didn't Roxas take care of you?"

However, Naminé's reaction to the stranger was quite different. She relaxed, putting her arms down. "You can take it from here, Riku."

Kairi was dumbfounded, hardly able to speak. "R-Riku!?" she said dubiously. She looked to Naminé, then toward the person in black. No one spoke, but their next actions spoke the loudest. The mysterious man in black made his sword disappear, and then gathered up a large ball of energy in his hand, which he threw at Saïx. Saïx blocked him, somersaulting backwards to avoid the forefront of the attack. This gave the strange person enough time to run forward and pin him against the wall. Saïx only smiled, as he created a dark portal on the wall behind him and slipped through it. The person was about to step through it when a loud voice stopped him. "Wait!" Kairi cried, running up behind him.

Pluto came running up as well, barking excitedly at the man, as if he knew his smell by heart. The person backed away from the portal, staying far away from the dog. He looked up to see Kairi walking slowly towards him.

"Riku…you're really here?" she asked him. He dared not move or breathe as she came even closer towards him. Suddenly and gingerly, she lifted his hood back, revealing skin as dark as the earth, long silvery-white hair, and fiery orange eyes. He looked away, unable to look into her inquiring eyes.

"Hey Kairi," he said in a deep voice, completely unlike the Riku she knew but a voice that fitted his current form. He turned to face the other girl. "Thank you, Naminé, for bringing her this far."

"Sure," she said. "See you later!" she said casually as she walked off in the other direction. Kairi was about to call after her when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked to Riku, who shook his head.

"But what about –?"

"She can take care of herself. Now, let's go find Sora."

"He's here?" Kairi said excitedly. Riku nodded. "Then let's go!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy battled Nobodies throughout the corridors of the castle, eventually ending up in a cavernous room. High above them, someone was waiting. "Sora…you've done quite well." The three looked up to see Saïx standing upon a magnificent dais, adorned with gray wings and the symbol for the Nobodies.

"Where's Kairi?" Sora demanded with a shout.

"Who knows?" Saïx said as he shrugged. "She's probably catching up with her friend from the darkness right now."

"What do you mean?!" Sora cried.

"She doesn't need you anymore," Saïx said, sneering at them.

"I'm supposed to believe _that_?" However, Sora's heart felt quite the opposite. _What does he mean, friend from the darkness? Is Kairi in trouble, or has she already been rescued by someone else, or has she…?_ His confident attitude completely veiled his fears.

"Well, you don't have to…but you can believe this: Organization XIII has no further use for you. Look." He pointed out through one of the large windows. "Our Kingdom Hearts. Thanks to you, we've collected vast amounts of hearts. Can you hear their euphoria?" At this, Saïx grinned almost maniacally. "Now, all they need is one more helping from the Keybearer!" Raising his hands, dark portals appeared all over the vast hall. Hundreds of Heartless swarmed out of them, covering the walls in a writhing darkness. As they slowly approached them, Sora, Donald, and Goofy grouped closer together in a more defendable formation. Saïx only laughed at them as he disappeared into his own portal.

"We have to fight!" Donald said, raising his staff.

"But – Kingdom Hearts!" Sora stuttered.

"SORA!" Sora froze, hearing that familiar voice he had ached to hear for so long. Searching, he looked up. Opposite Saïx's dais was another platform even higher than his own. To Sora's joy, there stood his red-headed best friend. "Sora! It's really you!"

"Kairi!" Sora said, practically bursting out of his skin. Their eyes locked momentarily, their hearts rejoicing at finding what completed each other. His reunion was short-lived, however, when the Heartless attacked him as the Nobodies had attacked Axel, dog piling on top of him and restricting his movements.

"You leave Sora alone!" Kairi cried, her heart filled with bitter anger towards the Heartless for attacking Sora without warning. Running back a ways, she dashed toward the edge of the platform and jumped off, not thinking of where she would land, only knowing that Sora needed her help. Thank goodness for Kairi, another platform was only fifteen feet below her. She landed with the grace of a gymnast, only to have the Heartless surround her as well. She was about to fight back when they jumped on her, pinning her to the floor. "Sora –" she whispered, her sole thought on helping her friend.

Suddenly, a bright light surrounded Kairi. She found herself being pulled up, Riku having a tight grip on her arm. She fell back a little, her balance still a little off. Riku gave her a gentle shove, then proceeded to hand her a magnificent Keyblade. "Take it," he said. The Keyblade held the colors of the sunset, with flowers etched into the blade at the tip; it was feminine, unlike Riku, Sora, and King Mickey's Keyblades – just by the look of it anyone could tell it was meant for her. She admired it for a moment, before slashing it through the air.

"This time, _I'll_ fight," she said with determination. "You know Sora's completely hopeless without us! Come on Riku!" And with that, she dashed into the crowd of Heartless in front of them. Riku might have smiled slightly at the comment, but more likely it could have been a muscle spasm. Either way, he revealed his Keyblade, The Way to the Dawn, and joined his friends.

Not only were Sora, Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, Riku, Kairi, and Geni fighting their way through the dark alleyways and the castle, but unbeknownst to them that evil witch Maleficent and her henchman Pete were there as well to claim the castle for their own evil purposes. Knowing how close the in-between world was to the realm of darkness, and how the Heartless might not completely obey their orders there, Maleficent was still focused on obtaining universal domination. Nothing would deter her, not even her incompetent and blundering underling.

King Mickey had his hands full as it was, trying to track down Ansem the Wise. Knowing he was somewhere in the stronghold, he had dashed off to find him at once, thinking he must know something about the final plans of Organization XIII. He had been running up some side stairs on the outside of the castle when he heard fighting above him. Racing up the remaining stairs, he beheld someone in a red cloak surrounded by Dusks. Racing towards them, he slashed at them, destroying them all. King Mickey had assumed the person as being unconscious, but as soon as the Dusks were destroyed he began to unsteadily rise to their feet. Next to him was a large machine, pointed at one end with a large glass globe on the other.

King Mickey waited patiently as the person rose their feet. At once they began to take off dark red bandages that had been covering their head, piling them at their feet. Once finished, darkness could be seen lifting from an elderly man's face, his eyes the same fiery orange as Riku's. "It has been too long, my friend," he said in a deep, but kind sounding, voice.

"Ansem the Wise," King Mickey scolded, "_Why_ didn't you come to me before things got so bad?" He scowled at the man who towered over him.

"Xemnas, the Organization's superior, is the Nobody of Xehanort, my foremost apprentice. This burden was mine to bear."

Kind Mickey gave him a look. "Is that all?" he said, unconvinced.

Ansem the Wise turned away from him. "I won't deny there was more. I was…obsessed with thoughts of revenge. My apprentices had stolen everything that was precious to me: my research…my pride."

"I can't help you with revenge," King Mickey said gently as he walked up behind him.

"I know, I know. Riku has told me that at least a thousand times; he should know more than anyone, I suppose."

"Speaking of which, where is he?"

"He must be with his friends by now. Riku was a great help to me. I found him wandering in the darkness, after you and he lost track of each other at Castle Oblivion."

"Well, we didn't really lose track of each other. Riku left…because Xehanort's Heartless was still inside of his heart troubling him. And he sure must have been suffering because of it. However, there _was_ one person who helped to alleviate some of that pain. Without her, I doubt Riku would have had the inner strength to meet the darkness and win. Considering she had been battling that kind of darkness all of her life, in a sense. But as to why he _still_ looks like that now, even though he is Riku at heart…he hasn't told me yet."

"I am to blame. When I met Riku for the first time, he still looked like a young boy to me. Probably because of his strong heart; in that fact he does rival Sora's own. I asked him to find someone named Roxas from Organization XIII for me, and bring him to me. When I told him it might help awaken Sora from his deep sleep, he left without another word. He fought Roxas, and I can only assume he lost that fight. He must have realized then that to fight in the realm of darkness he would have to immerse himself in that same darkness. When he did, well…you have seen what became of him. When Riku brought Roxas to me, he introduced himself as Ansem. If that was what it took to awaken his friend, he was ready to live in the darkness for it. Riku…was the victim of my revenge. I could only laugh to hide my shame."

"I guess it must have been after that when I first saw Riku again. He said he wanted to help Sora…but he made me promise to never let Sora find out about what happened to him while he was in the darkness. He especially didn't want Sora to know what his relationship to his sister was before she was freed from the darkness."

Ansem the Wise sighed, and looked over to King Mickey. "My friend, the time has come. I _must_ make amends to all of these young people for an old man's mistakes. Especially Geni; it is my fault that she is in her current predicament as it is." With that, he walked over to the machine that was lying on the ground and picked it up. King Mickey smiled and followed his friend, placing his hand on the glass sphere to steady it as they walked into a dark hallway.

"GET OFF!" Sora shouted as he threw off the remaining Heartless. Looking up to where Kairi was, he was shocked to see a member of Organization XIII fighting alongside her. Of course, he couldn't see who it was; all he could see was the easily distinguishable black coat. "What's going on?" he wondered out loud. However, before he could find out, the Heartless and Nobodies around him suddenly vanished in bursts of purple light.

"Have you been a good boy?" he heard someone say. Looking around, he saw a Nobody appear through a dark portal where Saïx had been standing moments before. He had a large scar across his face, as well as an eye patch over his right eye. "Oh. From the looks of things, it seems like you haven't. You know, you've been a pain in the rear for Organization XIII, but I guess that's why the Keyblade chose you. Although, you don't look like half the hero all of the others' were."

"Are you done rambling already?" Sora said, exasperated. He had to get up there and help Kairi!

"Rambling?! As if! All I'm trying to tell you, _traitor_, is that your time is up!" And with that he summoned his dart-throwing guns, the expert sniper readying himself for battle. Needless to say, the battle was short-lived for the Nobody. He faded out of existence, leaving many questions unanswered. However, Sora would have to wait to find out why everyone in the Organization was having memory lapses and calling him Roxas for another time, because just then Donald shouted. Looking up, Sora could see that Kairi needed his help. They began to run for the hallway directly in front of them, which led to several flights of stairs on the outside of the castle. As they ran onto the platform, Kairi and the stranger had just eliminated the last of the Heartless.

"Kairi, you were great!" Donald shouted his support. Kairi turned, flipping her hair nonchalantly as she gave them a large smile. Kairi and Sora walked towards each other, their eyes locked but their mouths mute.

Sora finally broke the ice, saying, "You are different, Kairi, but I'm just glad you're here and okay!"

Kairi fumbled for words, not knowing how to reply to Sora's blatant statement of care and concern. "Well, you and Riku never came home, so I came looking for you." She immediately knew she had hit a soft spot in Sora's humorous armor, for at that moment his eyes drooped, and he looked towards the floor in unease.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. However, he was greatly surprised when Kairi threw herself into his arms, gripping him as if to never let him go. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to hide her tears of relief.

"This is real…" she said quietly, her eyes shut tight to keep this moment lasting forever. Her feelings only intensified when she felt Sora's hands come around and pull her closer to him. They were still for what seemed like hours, an eternity passing in only seconds. The only reason their first moment of the recognition of something more between them was momentarily paused when Sora saw the stranger creating a portal of darkness.

"Wait! Ansem!" he called to him. The stranger paused, turning his head slightly. Sora kept one of his hands on Kairi's shoulder, half turned towards him. "I mean, Xehanort's Heartless…I never thought for a second that I would see you again. Just thinking…about all of the terrible things you did still makes me really angry. But…you saved Kairi, right? I have to be grateful for that. So, thank you."

Riku's heart was crumbling with guilt. _Sora thinks I'm a kind monster, how wonderful._ He turned and began to walk again towards the portal. _It probably is better if he doesn't know after all…_

However, Kairi couldn't believe Riku was leaving; even after all they had gone through. She dashed towards him and grabbed his arm, pulling on it gently. "Riku, don't go!" she cried desperately as she met the eyes of her towering friend.

"What? Huh? Kairi, what did you just say?" A flood of questions was released upon the two of them.

Kairi turned to them, still holding tightly onto Riku's arm. "Riku."

"I'm no one, just a castaway from the darkness," Riku said in his deep voice, Ansem's voice.

"Sora, come here," Kairi pleaded with him. "_Say_ something to him." Sora was confused; was this person Ansem or Riku? Trusting Kairi, he walked towards them, confusion evident upon his face. Kairi immediately took his hand, and placed his upon the large, black gloved hand of Ansem. "Here, you'll understand; close your eyes," she said tenderly. Sora looked at her, then up at Ansem. His heart guided him yet again, his eyes closing heavily. In Sora's heart and mind, he felt the presence of two people, two _very_ familiar people. He saw Kairi on his right, and directly across from him, holding onto his hand, was Riku. The real Riku.

Opening his physical eyes, he was surprised to feel tears stinging at them. "Riku…you're here…" he whispered as he feel to his knees. "I looked for you! I've looked everywhere for you! I didn't know if you were alright, or if something…happened…"

"Come on Sora, pull it together," a smoother voice replied. This voice was younger, kinder, and wiser than the deep voice that had just been speaking moments ago. "I didn't want you to find me Sora. Not like this."

Goofy had been scratching his head in thought. "But…it had been Riku that was helping us, wasn't it? The clues we kept on finding; that must have been Riku!" As Goofy was finishing his thought, Riku was helping Sora to his feet.

"I was starting to worry that none of you were ever going to catch on," he said with a sigh. "Sora never did pick the…brightest of friends." Goofy and Donald protested at this slight; however they didn't realize that Riku was really talking about himself.

"But why didn't you let me know that you were okay?" Sora objected.

"I told you that I didn't want to be found, not like this…I couldn't. I fought with Ansem, with Xehanort's Heartless; when it invaded my heart and I won, I found out that to use the power of darkness I had to become Ansem myself."

"Does that mean that you can't change back?" Kairi asked.

"This battle isn't over, and until then I still need the power of darkness."

"Then let's finish it; you're still Riku, no matter what. We need to defeat Xemnas and go home to the Destiny Islands, all four of us!"

Silence. "Um, Sora?" Kairi questioned him.

"Yes?" he replied, his confident smile still radiating from his face.

"Did you…hit your head? There are only three of us…"

"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! I have a sister!"

Down in the city, Geni had just found the alleyway that led towards the base of the Organization's stronghold. Countless numbers of Heartless and Nobodies had blocked her way, leaving her quite far behind Sora and the others. From the outside, the stronghold looked peaceful. But underneath its surface, war was raging throughout its gray corridors. Riku, Kairi, Sora, Donald, and Goofy had been talking for a while, and King Mickey and Ansem the Wise were higher yet, setting up his machine. Geni had been running but stopped quite suddenly when she reached the edge of the chasm over which floated Organization XIII's stronghold.

She paused, resting her hand on a crate while she caught her breath. She had been running and fighting, the way becoming more familiar with each twist and turn. The only thing that separated her from the castle now was a shimmering walkway that spanned the length of the chasm. "Now I know why they always used the portals," she said with a heave. Shifting her small pack, she double checked everything was secure. Finding everything snug, she began to walk warily across the gap. It was a little unnerving to see the bottom hundreds of feet below her, but what was worse were all of the Heartless and Nobodies down below her as well. They swarmed, trying to crawl their way out of the pit.

When Geni was halfway across the bridge, it began to shudder a little before growing in intensity. Looking back, Geni realized that the bridge was beginning to disappear, and also at an alarming rate. She began to run as fast as she could, the bridge disappearing faster and faster. _Come on, come on_, she mentally repeated to herself, pushing her body to its limit. Huffing and puffing, she was only fifteen feet away from the edge when the dissipating reached her. Putting all of her strength into her legs, she jumped as far as she could while reaching for the ledge of the castle. Time seemed to slow down; the ledge was just out of the reach of her fingertips. However, Geni stretched herself as far as possible and hit the edge of the stronghold square in her chest. All of the air in her lungs escaped, and she fell a ways, her fingers fumbling for a firm hold.

For a moment, it seemed as if she would fall to the inexistent mercy of the Heartless and Nobodies. Luckily, at the last moment as her fingers slipped off the ledge, a pale hand grabbed one of hers. "Hang on!" a female voice called.

Geni looked up, and saw a young girl with blonde hair and a white dress desperately trying to pull her to safety. She was stronger than she looked, for only moments passed before Geni was scrambling onto the edge of the castle, taking in deep breaths, only shaking a little bit. The other girl sat there as well, breathing deeply. "Thanks," Geni managed to cough out. "I thought I was going to make it, but…"

"No thanks needed," the other girl replied. "I just happened to be passing by when I saw the bridge disappearing with you on it."

"Lucky for me," Geni said with a smile. She felt strange, sitting there with the young girl, who looked to be almost her age. She experienced déjà vu, as if she had met this person somewhere before. "I'm Geni, by the way."

"Naminé," the other girl replied. She stood and brushed off her dress. "You had better hurry if you want to catch up to the others," she said, winking, before she calmly walked toward a corridor to her right. Geni sat there for a few moments, slowing her breathing, before she wobbly stood up.

"How did she –? Never mind. Either way, it sounds like the fun has started without me," she said with another smile. Looking around, she assumed Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey were probably doing one of two things: either making their way towards the top where all of the members of Organization XIII used to live, or down to where the dungeons are and possibly where Kairi is being held.

She followed the main passageway into the castle, noting the obvious signs of battle along the hallways. She entered the first main hall, the ornate dais where Xemnas would usually preach on and on about obtaining hearts. Seeing no one around, she turned and peered up at the other platforms behind her. On one of the middle platforms she could see Sora, Donald, and Goofy talking to a girl with red hair and…Riku! She recognized his black coat and silvery-white hair immediately. Geni's heart began to race, and she couldn't help but let a large smile escape. It was short lived, however, when Geni thought things through. _But…why is Riku here? The girl with the red hair must be Kairi, so Sora has already rescued her. Did Riku finally tell Sora everything?_ As she watched the scene unfold from high above her, Geni was about to shout up to them when she saw Kairi race into Sora's arms and hold him tightly. Sora looked a little surprised, but he gently held his friend in a tight embrace. A lump formed in Geni's throat, constricting the words. Instead, she turned so if anyone saw her they could not see the tears forming in her eyes. Oh, she was happy for Sora alright, but Kairi had just done what she had wanted to do for a long time now; she didn't have the nerve or the courage to tell him. _Riku…_ Turning quickly, she saw a doorway opposite the way she had come in and headed for it, hoping to quickly catch up with the others as she brushed the few tears from her eyes.

High above her, the others had begun to head towards the doorway opposite the way they had come. As they were leaving, Riku felt a familiar presence come into being. Looking around, he didn't see anyone. He leaned over the railing, seeing if anyone was below them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something dark head through a door under the dais across from them. _What, or who was that?_ he wondered. _I hope no one else is after us as well, besides the Organization, the Heartless, and the Nobodies._

King Mickey and DiZ, also known as Ansem the Wise, were busy setting up his machine. Its purpose was to reclaim Kingdom Hearts and encode it as data, therefore preventing Organization XIII from opening the gateway to it. Neither was sure it would work, because hearts are never predictable, are they? Starting up the machine, it began to whirr and whiz, a bright stream of light shooting out from the tip towards the heart-shaped moon high above them. As they walked out onto yet another platform surrounding the castle, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy beheld the jet of light hitting the moon.

"What's that?" Sora asked to no one in particular.

"It's the King and Ansem the Wise," Riku replied. "They must be higher up yet, so we had better hurry." Nodding, the five began to walk up the next flight of stairs. Their progress was halted twice when they encountered Luxord and Saïx. Xemnas had finally allowed the Nobodies to dispense of the inhabitants of the realm of light, and so the last members of the Organization were just itching for a piece of the action. However, both were defeated, but both of them leaving Sora questioning why everyone had been calling him Roxas. Riku finally shed light on that subject for him: Roxas was Sora's Nobody, from the time he had lost his heart in Hollow Bastion to free Kairi's own heart from his body. Riku told him of Roxas's betrayal of the Organization, how he had come to fight him twice, and his realization that he might never have had to fight Roxas to help Sora in the first place. He assumed that Roxas had left the Organization because he really wanted to meet his someone, his other half: Sora.

At this point, Ansem the Wise's machine was starting to go on the fritz. He laughed at his own foolishness; even after studying the heart for all of those years, he still hadn't learned all of their secrets. All of his years of research, amounted to nothing compared to Sora's heart. His own models, even those in his artificial Twilight Town, always lacked essential components needed for a real one. Ansem the Wise urged King Mickey to escape – his machine was about to self-destruct, and _anything_ could happen.

"Your majesty!" King Mickey turned around just in time to see his five friends run up the stairs towards them.

Ansem the Wise turned, his eyes full of sorrow. "Sora, it is all up to you now." More quietly, he whispered, "Roxas, I don't know if you can hear me…but I am truly sorry."

"Ansem…!" King Mickey tried to reach for his long time friend, but a strong arm stopped him. "But Riku!"

"His heart has decided, and we can't change that." Suddenly, a dark portal appeared on the opposite side of Ansem the Wise.

"I was wondering who would have dared interfere with _my_ Kingdom Hearts," Xemnas said darkly. "And look – here you all are…" he looked around for a moment "…save one. All still very convenient for me."

"What?!" Riku said angrily. Who else could be in the castle but them? What if that thing from earlier…? _Damn it!_ he mentally shouted. _I told her to stay put!_ All this while, Xemnas and Ansem the Wise were exchanging bitter words from the past. However, his attention was quickly diverted back to the conversation when he heard Xemnas speak his next sentence.

"…After all, none of this would have happened without you. _You _are the source of all Heartless," he said smugly.

"I admit, my disregard brought chaos to more worlds than one…I know it ruined at least one young girl's life already. But my heart is what held me back; it is what finally convinced me that my research was better left forgotten. What you continued in my name…that abominable research into hearts and those without…should have never come to fruition in the first place. Neither you nor I have learned anything since then. And any world that you try to create would be an empire of ignorance!"

Geni had followed Sora's path, leading her higher and higher up into the stronghold, towards the peak nearest to the black, empty sky. All she could think of was helping Sora, of finally defeating the Organization, and not her own safety. She ran and ran, up flights of stairs, across huge chambers; she even noticed when a laser-like beam was shot towards the heart moon. None of this concerned her; her only thought was to make sure that everyone was safe and the Organization failed at whatever it was doing with Kingdom Hearts. She finally had to pause at the base of yet another flight of stairs. Her legs felt like jelly, and her breath came in ragged gasps. The beating her chest had gone through on the edge of the castle only an hour before had not helped either.

"Riku, you know what to do!" Geni's head shot up, hearing a vaguely familiar voice call out Riku's name only feet above her. Wincing, she forced her legs to climb each step, each one feeling like a small mountain rather than mere inches. "I wish I could apologize to all the people I have wronged, but alas, that shall never be. Please tell Geni how sorry I am, King Mickey, when you see her. Farewell!" As Geni was about to climb the last few steps, she finally beheld the tragic scene before her. Ansem the Wise, the leader of Hollow Bastion before it had been destroyed by the darkness, was clutching a machine that was making strange noises. King Mickey, Riku, Kairi, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were facing Ansem the Wise and of course did not see her arrival. Xemnas was standing a ways from him, facing her direction, so of course _he_ did see her.

"Even if you ruin my Kingdom Hearts, I still have another way…" he said menacingly. However, no one noticed his statement because at that same moment Ansem's machine self-destructed, blinding everyone in a radiant light.


	23. Abduction

Chapter 21

Riku turned, shielding his friends from the destructive blast. However, his face froze as he saw Geni standing there with her hand on the wall to support her. Their eyes locked and for a moment time seemed to stand still. Riku saw her eyes, sparkling like the blue ocean back home. He also saw that she was dressed for battle, and finally knew that she had never planned to stay safe as she had promised. She was Sora's sister, after all; she just couldn't stand by while others battled for her.

Geni also stared deeply into Riku's flaming orange eyes, even though they weren't his own. She saw his dismay at her appearance, being overprotective of her as usual. She tried to speak, to assuage his doubts, but at that moment a tornado of light engulfed the platform they were standing on, giant swirls of light racing into the empty sky. While the light was so blinding that even shutting their eyelids didn't alleviate it, the noise was limitless, slicing through their eardrums until even their own heartbeat was drowned out.

Hearts rained down, causing the Heartless and Nobodies from every corner of the universe to suddenly appear in The World That Never Was. It was an internal organ buffet, and they were the uninvited guests. Xemnas had also disappeared in the confusion of the explosion, but his absence wasn't for long.

The strength of the light had blown everyone onto the ground and not one of them was quick to their feet. Geni was dazed as well; even though she had tried to hide herself behind the wall after seeing Riku, she was still knocked down and tumbled down a few steps. Sora was one of the first to rise to his feet, but as soon as he could see straight he immediately saw Riku lying motionless on the ground in front of him. "Riku!" he shouted. He ran over and kneeled next to his best friend, but his worry was unnecessary as Riku began to moan. Riku used his hands to push himself up onto his knees, earning gasps from everyone.

"What?" he asked in alarm.

"Riku! You…you look…" Kairi was unable to find the right words to say.

"I believe you look…normal," Sora said with a surprised voice. Riku lifted a hand to his face, feeling the black cloth he had placed over his eyes so long ago. Carefully, he untied the knot from the back of his head, the fabric sliding off of his face. He blinked, his aquamarine eyes unused to the light after their long sojourn in the darkness. He was not as tall as he was before, but his hair had returned to its silver sheen, and it had grown to slightly past his shoulders.

"Ansem did say that 'anything could happen…,'" King Mickey supplied. Standing up, the six of them faced the empty spot where Ansem the Wise last stood, the space gravely empty.

Geni had also finally gotten to her feet, using the wall as a brace. Even though she knew it, but would not admit it, her strength, her energy, her magic were almost completely depleted. She wouldn't last much longer here, but her stubborn side wouldn't accept that fact. As she was about to take the several steps up to the platform and join her friends, she felt a chilling presence behind her. Before she could completely withdraw her staff, a hand was placed over her mouth and the staff knocked out of her hands. She was pulled ruthlessly backwards into a portal of darkness without another sound.

_Ping…ping…CLANK._ "What was that?" Sora wondered as he looked around for the origin of the strange noises. Riku berated himself, shaking his head, as he turned and ran back towards the stairs. All that he ended up seeing was the disappearance of a dark portal…and Geni's sealed staff rolling about on the platform below. Sora had followed him, wondering why his friend looked so angry. "Riku –?" he began to ask, until he followed his gaze which rested upon the black staff. "No…" Sora whispered as he slowly walked down the steps. Reaching the bottom, he carefully picked up his sister's staff, holding it to his chest. He already knew what good care she took of it; if there was any fighting to be done, he already knew that she would not go anywhere without it or handle so carelessly like this.

"I saw her…just before the light blinded us…" Riku said, almost apologetically. Sora looked at him as he slowly walked back up the stairway. "I…was about to say something, but it was too late. And now Xemnas has Geni." Riku's fists' were clenched, his eyes smoldering with a fiery hatred.

"Riku?" Sora said, sounding surprisingly calm. "How did you know it was my sister?"

Riku's eyes widened; he felt like beating his head upon the wall for his carelessness. "I…um…she…"

"Riku met Geni months ago, Sora," King Mickey supplied. Riku looked at the little mouse pleadingly. Revealing secrets this deep not an easy thing for him to do. King Mickey shrugged, continuing. "It's time that Sora knew, Riku. It's time to tell him."

"Tell me what?" Sora said, his grip tightening on the staff, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the strange runes it was covered with.

"Your sister, I mean Geni, and I met about a year ago. Not physically; we haven't properly met yet. But somehow, at least according to Geni, our dreams intersected each others. So we met, talked, got to know each other…we even traded information on the Organization and also friends and family in the realm of light while we did. It was an easy way for us to know what the Organization was up to, and they didn't have a clue they even had a mole among them."

"So…you knew I had a sister long before I did?" Sora said, puzzlement spread across his face. "That would have meant that you met her while I was asleep, right? But that also means…that she already knew who you were, and that you were okay even though she never told me…" Sora looked…not hurt or betrayed, but confused to say the least.

"I asked her not to say anything, until I had the chance to tell you myself. Are, are you angry with me?" Riku asked, his eyes avoiding Sora's.

"Of course not," Sora said quickly. He walked up to Riku and looked up towards him, finally realizing the major height difference Riku now had on him. "Thank you for looking after her. She didn't tell me much about her time within the Organization, but since now I know that she could talk to you during then, I know it must have been easier for both of you. Thanks Riku." Sora gave him one of his trademark grins, lifting the large burden from atop Riku's shoulders. "But you know, you didn't have to do so much all on your on. You have friends like us to help you!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Have you forgotten?" Sora looked at Riku in confusion. "I'll tell you why. It's because I'm not a complete sap like you!" Riku said, sounding very amused.

"Say that again!" Sora said, trying to make himself look taller. Just then, a shrill noise was heard high above them.

"Uh-oh!" Donald cried, pointing at the moon. The moon had turned dark and sinister, its center empty, black, and lifeless. It had a vortex spinning around it, sucking in all of the hearts that had escaped from it due to Ansem the Wise's machine.

"We have to hurry," Riku said as he threw his black coat off of him, revealing a pair of his familiar baggy blue pants and a white and yellow vest over a zippered vest of black. "Your sister is in danger, Sora. We have to hurry to the top of the castle, before Xemnas…" and here he paused.

"Before Xemnas does what?" Sora interrupted.

Riku hesitated for a moment, his solemn gaze making him nervous. "Sora…there are actually several ways of opening the doorway to Kingdom Hearts. One way is to collect vast amounts of hearts until the realm bursts with them, which is what the Organization was doing until Ansem the Wise stopped that. Another way is like before, with Xehanort's Heartless: forcing the door open through a sheer amount of either darkness or light. Yet another way is to…give Kingdom Hearts one of the purest hearts in existence as a kind of…sacrifice."

"WHAT?!" Sora shouted.

"What I mean," Riku quickly said, "is that a person must willingly give up their own heart to Kingdom Hearts in order to open its door; however, the heart must be a pure one, like yours and Kairi's."

"Well, then what are we worrying about? Geni wouldn't…" and there Sora stopped. Of course she would…if anyone she cared about were in danger. And they were still in the depths of the castle yet, surrounded by Heartless and Nobodies. "We have to hurry," Sora said. "We have to defeat Xemnas before he can force her to…to…" Kairi placed a hand on Sora's arm, calmness radiating off of her.

"Don't worry Sora. Not one of us will ever let that happen," she said firmly. King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all supplemented their agreements. "So let's go save your sister!"

High above them at the peak of the castle, Xemnas stood looking at his prisoner like she was some kind of shiny trophy. "Well, my dear, it seems as if I have to now implement Plan B, whereas Plan A failed. And _you_, little girl, are the guest of honor."

Geni was bound to a post in the middle of a large flat dais. The chains pinning her arms back were made of darkness so she couldn't break or escape from them due to her current lack of strength. "You're all talk," she said bitterly as she struggled to loosen herself. "Your doorway to Kingdom Hearts is finished and you know it."

"Ah, but _yours_ isn't," he said as he stepped closer to her. "For you see, Kingdom Hearts is always changing, always trading allegiances to the light or to the dark. That allegiance is owed to whoever opens the doorway. _My_ Kingdom Hearts would have been full of darkness, hearts ripe for the picking. But now that that fool Ansem the Wise has spoiled all of my efforts, I must turn to another source for opening that door. And that is where you come in. Your heart is pure and full of light, so it will be a perfect specimen for opening the doorway. The realm will see light, but darkness will enter and conquer." Geni's eyes widened, realizing his plan. Her body went numb; how could Xemnas know about that when no one outside of one special world should? "I see; so you already know of my plan then. That makes it much easier for me. I believe you know the Song of Release?" he inquired, already obvious of her answer.

Geni bit her lip, her eyes focusing on anything but the last member of Organization XIII in front of her. Xemnas, however, was in a hurry – those blasted Keybearers' would be arriving any minute. He violently grabbed her chin with his hand, forcing her to look at him directly in the eyes.

"You will sing, or your friends _and_ brother will die at the hands of my Heartless and Nobodies," he hissed. Geni bit back a cynical retort, knowing it would take thousands upon thousands of Heartless and Nobodies to hinder her brother and her friends, but her eyes betrayed her, shimmering with unshed tears. "So you will?" he said, still forcing her to look into his eyes.

Quietly, she looked away from him. Like a lamb being led to the slaughter, she unwillingly nodded her assent. "Good choice." Xemnas released her from his hold, snapping his fingers. The chains and post around her vanished, leaving her free to move.

"Might I have one last request?" Geni asked boldly.

Xemnas smirked. "Considering anything you would ask for would be meaningless compared to the wealth I am about to obtain, certainly."

Staring towards the moon and her fate, she asked, "Please spare my brother and my friends. You will have what you want, so there is no need to hurt them any further."

He waved his hand once more, and several stairs appeared leading to a small platform that faced the failed Kingdom Hearts. "You have my word," Xemnas said solemnly. "Now go, and fulfill your task of bringing hearts to the heartless."

Several floors below them, the six would-be rescuers fought the Heartless and Nobodies ruthlessly. Racing through the halls, they eventually found themselves in a lofty room full of open staircases climbing to the summit of the castle. They had just reached the top when Kairi yelled for her two friends. "Sora! Riku!" They quickly turned, and gazed in disdain as hundreds of Heartless were following them up the narrow stairs. They were coming in through the tall windows, tumbling through them like a flood.

"There's going to be no end to this!" Riku cried out. _We'll never reach Geni in time at this rate!_ he thought with a sense of dread.

"Together we can stop them," Sora indicated. Riku nodded, and everyone brought out their weapons, mostly Keyblades. As they were about to run into the midst of the swarms, Maleficent and Pete appeared in smoky clouds of green and blue respectively.

"Be gone from here! Leave these creatures to us!" she demanded.

Pete turned to her with a look of horror, as if he hadn't figured out her plan by now. "But there is no way we can take them all!" Pete spluttered.

"I'll be sending _them_ after Xemnas and that meddlesome sister of Sora's," Maleficent said mischievously. "If both of them are destroyed, all the better for us. Kingdom Hearts will be mine and mine alone! Or, perhaps you would rather fight them all by yourself?"

The other ignored six were quite enjoying this bit of banter, seeing Maleficent and her henchman having a falling-out. Shaking her head at Pete after yet another of his "almost-ran-away-but-won't-because-I'm-better-than-King-Mickey" speeches, Maleficent turned her head towards them. "Sora, _your majesty_, do not forget that when I have destroyed them all, this castle will be mine!"

"Bring them on!" Pete said, putting up his dukes. The two of them ran towards the mob of Heartless.

"Well, what's done is done. We have to hurry," King Mickey said to the group as he turned towards the doorway.

"But…" Sora interjected.

"They are doing what their hearts command them to, just like Ansem the Wise's did. In that we cannot interfere." And with that, the six of turned to leave. However, a song suddenly erupted from above them, on the roof of the castle. Whoever was singing it sounded like they had the voice of an angel, or some other ethereal being. They could not hear any audible words, but the sound was so pure, so innocent…but quite heartbreaking as well. Sora thought he recognized the melody; he knew he had heard it somewhere before, but where?

"No!" Riku shouted as he began running. "We're going to be too late!"

"What?!" Sora yelled as he began to run with him. "What do you mean?" Riku did not answer him, but the grim determination upon his face was all that Sora needed to know. Kairi, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had seen Riku take off as soon as he heard the singing, and were following behind him and Sora as fast as their legs could carry them.

Just above them Geni was rubbing her raw wrists, all thanks to the chains of darkness. Xemnas did nothing to hinder or help her, but only stared after her as she slowly ascended the stairs to the platform. Her heart was as heavy as her feet; of course she knew the Song of Release. Not many people did, of course, but she knew at least three people below her in the castle who would recognize it right away. The Song of Release had been used before to gain a mermaid's voice; the evil sea witch Ursula had made Ariel sing it when she had traded her voice for human legs, therefore allowing her to see her beloved Prince Eric. However, the song itself had only been native to one world, and that was not Atlantica.

The Song of Release in itself has no comprehensible audibly spoken, or sung, words. The words are actually feelings, and those feelings are conveyed through the heart to the mouth. The feelings behind the song determine what is released: for example, Ariel wanted to exchange her voice for legs.

This time, the song would be used to not give up her voice, but her heart. The principle was the same, but this time Geni would not be getting anything in return. As she climbed up the last step and walked to the center of the small platform, Geni could only think of the people whom she had so desperately tried to protect below her.

_Everyone, please forgive me. Sora…I'm sorry you won't be able to keep your promise with me, but you _must_ keep the others safe and take them home anyway. King Mickey…please don't let Queen Minnie be too sad; both of you were the best foster parents anyone could have asked for. Donald and Goofy…thank you for everything you've done for me; I know I'll never be able to repay you all. And Riku…_ here her mental goodbye stopped, because even in her mind she couldn't tell Riku everything she had ever wanted to. One tear trailed down her cheek, a glistening example of the dam that was about to burst, but she couldn't help but smile as well. _Poor Xemnas; at least he'll fail once again, although I won't be able to see his face when he realizes it_.

Taking one last deep breath – probably her last – Geni opened her mouth wide and looked towards the decaying moon. It seemed a touch nostalgic; her first and last view of this world would be of its moon. "Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-aaahhh…"

The group heard the singing becoming louder and louder as they neared the apex of the castle. One last obstacle blocked them: a large embellished door that was so heavy it felt like it took them forever to open it. Finding it was easier to push on only half of the door, Sora was shoving all of his weight through his shoulder. At the same time, he felt as if Geni's staff was pushing along with him; it was on the side that was leaning against the door. He had put it through two of his belt loops, sort of like her own hip device. Sweat ran down his face as he pushed, every fiber of his being willing the door to open. _Come on Geni, don't give up!_ Sora couldn't imagine arriving too late, it was just an impossibility.

The others were also pushing and heaving as hard as they possibly could: King Mickey, for his only foster daughter; Goofy and Donald, for their source of endless practical jokes; for Kairi, her best friend's sister; and for Riku…the person he had never told how much he really cared for her.

Yes, Riku had feelings for Sora's sister. From the time they had first met in their dreams, from seeing her for the first time in real life when she was sick in Hollow Bastion, in the garden at the Disney Castle when she had returned home, rescuing her from Maleficent during the earthquake, and even leaving her favorite flower for her when she had been worried after the damage the earthquakes had caused. _Geni, please…don't die. I told you to stay at home…where you would be safe and well protected, and now look. You had better be alright!_ Riku thought to himself as he gave one final and powerful shove to the door. Finally, the door budged open just enough to allow all of them through. They ran up the stairs and out onto the platform, only to realize it _was_ too late.

Geni was standing upon a slightly raised platform, her hands raised in song towards the mutilated moon in the sky. The light from the moon had surrounded her outline with a soft glow, giving her the appearance of someone not of this world. And if at that moment she was not about to give up her life for her best friends, it would have been a glorious sight to behold.

"Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-Aaahhhh!" And with that final dreamlike note hanging in the air, a huge beam of white light shot out from the damaged moon…piercing Geni through her chest, through her heart.


	24. Sacrifice

Chapter 22

"NO!"

It was uncertain who yelled, screamed, or cried out first, but it was wholly apparent that none of those people was Xemnas. As the beam struck Geni, he was only laughing with triumph.

As it impaled her, the beam of white light did not go all the way through Geni like Sora's Keyblade had, but filled her to the brim with its brilliance. Her entire body was in slow motion; her arms fell slowly, her eyes gradually closed, her body slumping as if she were falling asleep while standing up. However, something was taking her place, an exact copy of her made of thousands of points of light. This creature of light quickly turned, and stooped to hold her as it began to lower her body to the dais. It looked as if it felt the remorse for the life that had been given up for it to be there. Once Geni's motionless body was lying peacefully upon the platform, the being stood up.

It looked towards the group below it, surveying them quietly. Not one of them had moved or spoken, save Xemnas who had come forward to stand below the platform and gloat in his accomplishment. Even though it was made of light, the outline of Geni's body and clothing could be seen clearly; also, in the center of its chest, sat Geni's half a heart. Luckily for them, most of it was obscured so it was not easily discernable that only half of a heart was residing there. At that moment and out of nowhere, a magnificent pair of wings sprouted from its back, giving the creature an appearance that commanded respect. Then the being began to speak, however its mouth remained closed. The words could be heard coming from everywhere and anywhere all at once.

_The doorway cannot be opened for those who wished harm upon this one._

"What do you mean?!" Xemnas said, furious. "I gave you the necessary heart. Now open the doorway to my Kingdom Hearts!"

_This one had no heart._

"What are you talking about? Of course she did! How else could I have…?" Xemnas was fumbling for words.

_We will not repeat ourselves again; this one did not have a heart._

"You lost, Xemnas," Riku said flatly, without any emotion. Xemnas turned, seeing the six of them standing there. Riku was eerily calm and collected. "She knew that even before you kidnapped her."

"Explain yourself," Xemnas said as his impassive gaze rested upon Riku.

"You forget, Xemnas. Who brought Geni into the Organization? When did they do it?"

Xemnas did not answer, but his brows furrowed in hidden anger. "Axel…"

"Yes, Axel. Axel had already betrayed Marluxia at Castle Oblivion, and he was already on his way out of the Organization when he brought Geni to you. He knew you were blinded by your goal of obtaining a heart, and so you wouldn't look far into Geni's reasons for being coerced. You only knew that you could fool Sora into destroying more Heartless for you if he knew his sister was being held hostage by the Organization. But why was Geni deceived in the first place? Because she had the same goal as you: of obtaining a heart, a _full_ one. Geni lost half of her heart years ago to a Heartless in Hollow Bastion. Axel knew and manipulated that fact into tricking her into joining the Organization. The dark spell she was under completed her missing half of a heart, so you probably never knew the difference. And so she went through all of this knowing you would fail; again, if need be."

"No…" Xemnas said as he turned towards the being of light and the ruined moon. It was silent and still, its wings rustling occasionally. The creature only seemed mildly interested in the conversation between the two parties. "No…I will start all over again. Warriors of the Keyblade: go forth, and bring me more hearts!"

"No!" Riku, Sora, and King Mickey replied as they withdrew their Keyblades. Riku was still as impassive as before, but King Mickey and Sora had finally gotten over their initial shock at seeing Geni lying motionless above them. Their disbelief had been replaced with a torrid anger.

"No, Xemnas! No more people will be hurt because of you and your ambitions!" King Mickey cried out.

"You'll pay for this, Xemnas," Sora said threateningly.

"Hmph. Tell me, denizens of light: why do you hate the darkness so?"

"We don't _hate_ it," King Mickey replied. "The world is made of light and darkness. You can't have one without the other, because darkness is half of everything."

"The only reason anyone has to be afraid of the darkness is because who is lurking inside of it," Riku insinuated.

"Then allow me one more question: you accept darkness, but choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who hover on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark, never given a choice?"

"That's simple," Riku stated. "It's because you ruin our worlds, and destroy everything that we care about."

"That may be, but what other choice might we have had?"

"Enough already! You're Nobodies – you don't have hearts or feelings to feel sorry about!" Sora finally shouted.

"I cannot feel sorrow…no matter what misery befalls the worlds or their people, no matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist." Xemnas's monologue hung in the air, a tribute to a being without remorse for his actions. Suddenly, Xemnas raised his hands high into the air, and drops of light began shooting upwards out of the ground and into the sky. First a few, then dozens, then thousands of them surrounded the platform on top of the castle. Sora shielded his eyes from the light, only to reopen them to a strange scene. He had been transported back down to the square with the television tower in front of him. Looking around, he realized he was the only one of his friends who had been transported.

The others opened their eyes, and saw that Xemnas had disappeared. They soon realized that he was not the only one who had vanished.

"Sora! Sora, where are you!" Kairi shouted. As Kairi cried out worriedly for her friend, Riku silently took his chance to retrieve Geni from the raised platform. He couldn't leave her there, all by herself. The being of light was still there, still standing over her as if to guard her empty shell. Riku slowly walked towards the platform, his gaze never leaving that of the creatures. Step by step, he slowly ascended until he was at eye level with it. They stood for a moment, staring at each other, until the being dipped its head in what seemed like a gesture of gratitude, or maybe humility.

_This one was strong._ Its final words were quiet as it turned to face away from Riku and towards the still demolished moon high above them. _Still, this one was happy at the end._ And with that, the light of the being began to collapse in unto itself. After a moment, it turned into a sphere of light suspended in the air in front of him. Slowly it rose towards the moon, soon becoming lost in the blackness of its center.

Riku knelt onto the cold stone of the platform, Geni's body gently splayed across it. He unconsciously let his hand slide a piece of her hair off of her face. Flashes of memory raced across his vision: Geni angry at him for calling her weird the first time they had met, her laughter as he told her about Sora's first escapades with their wooden swords, her smile as she showed him new battle skills, her tears as they cascaded down her face when she had still been doubting herself about her need in the world…

He could feel his own tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to fall. However, Riku knew that he had to be strong for everyone else…especially for Sora. Ever so carefully, he picked up the still body, gently placing his hands under her knees and her back. She was as light as ever, her eyes closed and a tiny smile playing at her lips; she could have been sleeping for all anyone knew. He carefully rested her head against his shoulder, embracing her with his strong, kind arms. Standing up, he swallowed the lump in his throat and turned around.

King Mickey had been watching Riku the entire time, knowing it would be best for him to retrieve her. Not that he didn't want to, of course, but he hadn't been able to lift Geni since she was six years old. As Riku turned and began walking back down the steps, the platform and steps began to disappear slowly. Once back onto the roof of the castle, the steps disappeared altogether.

Kairi had only shouted for Sora once more before she had noticed Riku's destination. She had promptly quieted herself for the moment, stepping forward to stand next to the stoic King Mickey. Donald and Goofy were also next to them, and Goofy already had a few tears leaking out of his eyes. As Riku came to a stop in front of them, King Mickey gestured for him to lay her down in front of him. Riku complied, his every gesture radiating with care.

Geni scarcely looked any different from the last time he had seen her smiling face. She was paler though, and her skin was strangely cool. King Mickey checked for a pulse in her wrist, and also leaned down to listen to the too faint heartbeat in her chest. Sitting up, he looked around at the distraught expressions of his friends. "Geni's heart is gone…Kingdom Hearts has taken it. We can't even retrieve it and give it back to her like Sora did for you, Kairi. Even though you had been without one for several weeks, you were still strong enough to reclaim it. However, Geni's condition when she lost it was quite bad. Her strength, energy, and magic are literally gone. Even if we did find her heart again, her body is already fading and before long it will be too late and her body would never absorb it."

"You mean, it's hopeless?" Donald warbled softly. "She's not going to make it?"

"I'm afraid so," King Mickey affirmed. Riku all of this time had never once taken his gaze off of her face, one of his hands still holding hers just like when she was sick at Hollow Bastion. Kairi stepped around Geni, walking up behind Riku to kneel next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it to remove him from his trance. Riku slowly looked up at his red-headed best friend, at the remorseful expression upon her own face.

"Riku," she began quietly. "I…I haven't known Geni for as long as any of you, but her last actions spoke louder than anything to me. We have to go find Sora, and then defeat Xemnas if Sora already hasn't. She gave her life to try and protect us, and now it's our turn to return the favor." Her blue eyes penetrated deeply into his own, stirring him from shock. Looking at her one last time, he gently laid her hand down next to her. He stood up, absentmindedly wiping dust off of him.

"Your right Kairi," he said. A feeling was beginning to replace the sadness and remorse inside of him. It raged through his veins, clouding all other forms of rational thought. "Xemnas must be defeated; he's the Organization's last survivor. I'll make sure that Geni's sacrifice wasn't in vain."

Sora in the meantime had been battling with Xemnas in the strange area. He couldn't go very far; once the buildings began to get fuzzy it seems that was where the barrier surrounding them ended. They battled up and down the strange building, doing flips in midair, trying to outdo each other's strategy. It took Sora longer than normal to defeat him because Xemnas kept using some kind of magic on him to block the use of his own. Finally, Sora had struck the final blow, and Xemnas began to disappear in front of him as the other Nobodies had when he had defeated them.

"Well, now what?" Sora thought aloud. He had been battling ever since he arrived, pushing the thought that Geni was gone to the far back of his mind. Now that he was alone and idle…

"Sora, where are you?" Kairi shouted. He looked around, hearing her voice but not seeing her. Suddenly, the area around him began to disappear into the backwards rain of light once again. In a blinding flash, he felt himself land face-first onto a hard surface.

"Oww," he said as he sat up, rubbing his nose.

"Sora! You're okay!" Kairi had run up from behind him and threw her arms around him. Sora was surprised; two major shows of affection in one day? This definitely had to do with…and that's when he saw Geni lying on the ground next to Riku. Kairi felt Sora stiffen, seeing his sister. As he rose to his feet, Kairi let him go, but stayed right by his side as he slowly walked over to her. He looked at Riku, who was kneeling next to her. His face could have been etched in stone, but Sora knew the turmoil that must be raging inside of him.

Sora knelt down next to his motionless sister, gently taking one of her hands in both of his. She didn't move, didn't stir, didn't do anything. He brought her hand and rested it on his chest next to his heart, his head bent, body shaking. He could see her chest moving up and down, but the movement was so small that if you weren't watching closely you would miss it easily.

"Sora?" King Mickey said faintly. "Where's Xemnas?" Sora looked up, silent. Suddenly they heard laughing from high over them. Looking up, they saw that Xemnas had implanted himself directly in the center of the ruined moon.

"Hear me, Kingdom Hearts! It seems we must begin anew. Ah, but know this: I will give you as many hearts as it may take. Mark my words; you can be no more complete without me than I without you. Lend me your power, so that we may be complete! The power to erase the _other_ fools that may hinder us."

King Mickey jumped to his feet. "Xemnas, no! Don't do it!"

"Hearts quivering with hatred…hearts burning with rage…hearts scarred by envy. Hearts are the source of all power!" The darkness building up within Xemnas was finally released into the moon around him, making it explode with a brilliance that could rival an exploding sun. The six of them hid their eyes, Sora instinctively throwing his arms around Kairi to protect her. In moments, the light had faded and with it Xemnas.

"Xemnas! You can't hide from us!" Riku yelled.

"We can't let him get away now!" King Mickey said.

"Wait, look!" Kairi cried, pointing in front of them. A gigantic doorway was materializing in front of them, as gray as the Nobody's stronghold. It looked oddly familiar…a doorway from the past.

"Kingdom Hearts…" King Mickey said, mystified. "The worlds gave us this doorway; they want us to be the guardians of their destiny!"

"Once we go through we can't come back. It's either victory…or oblivion," Riku said flatly. He turned, facing Geni's still body once more. "We can't just…leave her here, can we?" he asked King Mickey, the mouse who had always helped him through the darkness.

"I can fix that," he said. "Sora, you still have Geni's staff, right?" Sora nodded, and removed the staff from his belt. The staff looked more alive than his sister did at the moment. Handing it over to King Mickey, the small mouse took it and pressed both ends of the staff in onto itself. "Okay, everyone stand back." Riku, Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all moved back a ways from their silent – but still breathing slightly…could they dare hope, even now? – friend as King Mickey said a few words over it. The staff began to glow, and he hurriedly placed it in one of her hands that was lying across her stomach. He quickly dashed away, and as he did a shimmering bubble emerged from the staff and completely covered Geni with it. "That will keep her safe until we come back," King Mickey said confidently. "Are you all ready?" he asked the five of them.

They looked towards their fallen comrade, friend, and sister. "For Geni," Sora whispered quietly. "For Geni, we'll defeat Xemnas and save the worlds." He turned and walked towards the large doorway. Riku and King Mickey followed him, each of them preparing their Keyblade. As they stood facing the door, the placed the tips of their Keyblades together. They began to glow, and from them a beam of light shot forth and hit the doorway, forcing the doors open with a loud creak. Silently, and with great determination, the five of them walked towards the doorway and into the realm of Kingdom Hearts, save one.

Riku paused at the entrance, glancing back one last time towards Geni. The magical bubble which surrounded and protected her reminded him of a bedtime story Kairi used to read when she was little, about a princess and seven dwarfs. An evil witch poisoned the princess with an apple and everyone thought she had died. They placed her in a glass coffin so everyone could bear witness to her beauty and gentle nature even in death. A handsome prince had found her, and asked that she be moved to his own castle. On the way, the poisoned apple in her throat had been loosened and coughed up when they were carting her over several large bumps in the road. The princess had awakened, and everyone rejoiced. The princess and the prince had married and lived happily ever after. _I guess this won't be one of those "happily ever after's" after all,_ he thought.

"Riku?" Riku turned, seeing Sora's concerned face. "Are you coming?"

"Of course," he replied. "Just…"

"I know," Sora said with a sad smile. "Let's finish this." Riku nodded, and they stepped through the threshold.

The realm of Kingdom Hearts was not much different than The World That Never Was. However, the buildings were oddly decorated in zigzags of black and white. Waiting for them with a large monster that was shaped like the stronghold outside was Xemnas.

"So, your hearts have led you to obliteration," he said smugly. "Perhaps it doesn't pay to be too loyal to one's own heart." And with that, he raised his hand, thereby raising the monsters hand. It picked up one of the huge buildings and threw it at them. The six of them ran backwards, trying to avoid the shock and debris. However, Kairi and King Mickey were thrown back through the doors into The World That Never Was, and the doors then closed effectively sealing Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy inside the realm of Kingdom Hearts.

Sora made a deeply aggravated noise in the back of his throat. "We can take him on our own!" Withdrawing their Keyblades, the four of them charged through the wreckage Xemnas was causing amongst the buildings. He threw them at the four repeatedly, but each time they drew closer and closer to him. Finally, they reached the point where they could climb up into the monster and destroy his power source.

The living castle was powered by several generators that occasionally spewed humongous bursts of energy towards them. Jumping from platform to platform, they managed to evade each one and eventually destroy the reactors. As they exploded, a bright light consumed them and unknowingly transported them to the heart of the monster. Xemnas had also been transformed into a strange creature as well; his features were almost bird-like, sitting upon his throne of darkness. He was attached to the monster itself; giant red veins connecting him to the wall and body behind him.

Sora, Riku, Goofy, and Donald were dazed for a moment from the transport, but soon took up the offensive and attacked Xemnas. At first they all charged in at once, but Xemnas blocked them and sent them sprawling with a large electrical attack from his oversized sword. From then on they attacked in waves, Riku and Sora heading in first while Donald attacked with his magic from behind also while he was shielded by Goofy. And for strange reason as well, Xemnas was able to use Xigbar's blasters as well as Xaldin's spears. It went on and on like a repetitive dance; Xemnas would fire his black and white electricity at them, sending the heroes sprawling, while they would then counterattack using partner battling techniques.

Kairi and King Mickey had felt bad that they had been thrown from the battle before it even started, but they had enough on their hands destroying the few Heartless and Nobodies that had managed to reach the top of the castle. Most of them seemed lost and without cause, except for the hunger for the living hearts they felt. Any control that Xemnas once had was slipping through his fingers as he fought the defenders. They also kept a protective vigil over Geni's still body; probably fooling themselves that there might be something else they could still do to save her.

Soon inside Kingdom Hearts, the battle concluded. Sora, Donald, Riku, and Goofy had all dashed in and poured their power into one last attack against Xemnas. As the monster collapsed into a brilliant burst of light, they found themselves back on the top of Organization XIII's stronghold, Xemnas on his knees in front of them, the doorway to Kingdom Hearts gone.

"I need…more rage…more hearts," he stuttered.

"Xemnas," Sora said as he lowered his Keyblade, "There's more to a heart than just anger or hate; it's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?" he said, almost earnestly.

"Unfortunately…_I_ don't," he said as he finally faded away into the nothingness from whence he came. It took the six of them a moment before they finally realized that it was _over_. Xemnas had been defeated, and the worlds were finally safe.

"We did it," Sora said quietly. "We did it, like I promised." He turned towards Geni, still safe inside her protective shield King Mickey had set up around her. He walked over to her and placed his hand upon the shield. As if sensing the danger was gone, the protective spell enveloping her drew itself back into her staff. The threat had passed, and everyone was safe. Sora could now mourn his sister's loss in relative peace. He kneeled down next to her, letting his emotions and tears finally run freely.

"Geni," he said, the tears trickling down his face. "Xemnas is gone for good, as is the rest of the Organization. You're finally free from them," he said with a whisper. He bent his head, his spiky hair hiding his face from the world as his sorrow flew freely. Kairi came over and sat down next to him, and took one of Sora's hands in her own. Her presence was comforting, but it could not placate the deep loss Sora felt: he was losing half of himself and could not bring her back. Riku walked over to them as well, taking his place on Geni's other side. He had felt the tears stinging at his eyes earlier, but now he felt empty and dry.

King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all came and stood around Geni's body. King Mickey kneeled next to Riku to check Geni's vital signs one last time. With a sigh and a shake of his head, Riku knew that Geni was now gone for good. The person who had been so full of life, who had made him laugh countless times before, was now in a place where he could never reach her.

"Oh, my dear," King Mickey sighed as he placed a hand on her cool forehead. For some reason, a memory came to the forefront of his mind, when Geni was younger. She had found a large volume in the library, a story called "The Lord of the Rings," by a man named Tolkien from a world called England. One of her favorite lines had been when a Hobbit named Frodo was talking to a wizard named Gandalf in a dark cave, when he had wished that he did not have to tread the path of destiny he was on. The wizard had told him, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

_You have certainly made good use of the time that you were given, particularly your second chance at life even though you were still so young at the time._ As the six of them mourned their friend, they did not see the rift in the air opening behind him. A small breeze began to billow from it, hardly noticeable until it began to grow in strength relative to the size of the hole. Goofy was the first to feel the cool breeze, turning to see where the small bit of comfort in this forsaken land had come from. He couldn't believe his eyes, and began to pull on Donald's sleeve. "Donald…hey Donald…turn around…"

"Not _now_, Goofy," Donald said with a sigh. "If it's a Heartless, just…" he began to speak as he turned to face Goofy. His jaw dropped as well when he saw the unusual sight. Pointing, he bellowed, "What?!"

His sudden outburst caused the rest of them to look up at him. "Donald, what's the –" Sora began before his tongue was tied like the rest of them. He just couldn't believe at what he was staring at. The large rip in the air in front of them was beginning to blow huge gusts of air towards them, propelling their hair all about. They could not see anything inside of the rip, for it was shining forth a brilliant amount of light. However, something inside of the rift was beginning to emerge, its outline severely blurred. The wind began to die down to a consistent but soft breeze as the thing…wait…_things_ emerged from the tear. Sora and Kairi both doubted their eyes, staring blankly at the apparitions in front of them.

"Roxas?...Naminé?..."


	25. Rebirth

Chapter 23

The ghostly figures, mainly because you could see right through them, had stopped just outside of the large hole. Roxas had his hands in his pockets, his demeanor cool and collected. Naminé smiled, her hands clasped lightly in front of her as usual. "Hello again Kairi, Sora," she said in her quiet voice.

"Hey Sora, nice to finally meet you," Roxas said. Sora stared at him, finally realizing why everyone was presuming him to be Roxas: they looked exactly the same – well, except for hairstyle and choice of clothing. The two newcomers looked around, their smiles completely oblivious to the obvious problem. "So, why the long faces?" Roxas asked.

"Well…" Goofy began, unsure of where to start. "You see, this girl here, she's…"

"Geni," Naminé supplied. Seven faces turned to her inquiringly. "We met when she entered the castle before," she added quickly.

"And you didn't stop her?" Riku said softly, his tone dripping with accusation.

"Why would I? She had just as much of a right to be here as any of you," Naminé said carefully. "Probably even more so."

"Considering she used to live here as well," Roxas added.

"That's not the point," Naminé said as she turned to face him. "The fight against the darkness was not only for the Keyblade masters and Riku with the darkness in his heart. The darkness had stolen something precious from her long ago, remember? Her life."

"Her…life? What do you mean?" Sora said. He had still not moved from his sister's side; none of them had really. "I mean, she was still here only moments ago. The darkness took half of her heart, nothing more."

"I'm sorry, but you're quite wrong, Sora. Yes, Geni's heart was taken, but what the Heartless left her was much worse. She had no life; she couldn't do anything, she couldn't go anywhere, and everyone would treat her as if she were crippled."

"But…"

"We only did that because Geni didn't have the strength or stamina of average people," King Mickey finally interjected.

"_Did_ she?" Naminé wondered aloud.

"Of course not. She would get tired from walking around her room, for goodness sakes. That's why we kept her inside the castle, just in case she collapsed or got sick."

"So you were helping her then."

"Where are you going with this Naminé?" Riku finally said as he glared at her.

"All I'm saying is that it didn't sound like Geni had a life, that she really lived, to me."

"And how would you know that?"

"I may be a Nobody," she shrugged, "But I think that I've seen more of this universe, and done a lot more than she ever has, in my short existence."

"Geni had everything she could have ever wanted," King Mickey said as he walked over to her, his anger beginning to show. "She had teachers and tutors, books, her own room, anything she could ever need. She could even learn everything and anything she wanted to."

"Yes, you gave her all of that and she learned. But, what about what _she_ wanted to do, what she couldn't learn from all of that?"

Kairi interjected before anyone else became angry. "Well, what did Geni want to do Naminé?"

"To see other worlds, make new friends, meet her brother, and be herself once more."

"She did do all of that," Sora protested.

Roxas finally spoke up. "Sure she did. But did she ever remember any of it? Did you ever ask her about it?" He gaze passed from Sora, Riku, Donald, Goofy, and finally to King Mickey. "All of the missions the Organization gave to her were erased from her memories. All she knew was the castle and The World That Never Was. So she has only really visited one world besides her homes in Hollow Bastion and Disney Castle. You limited her freedom yourselves; you didn't allow her to grow into her own being. All of you, in one way or another save for Kairi, made the chains binding her grow in strength all the time."

"Keeping her in the castle, keeping her quiet and subdued, keeping her from helping to destroy the Heartless and Nobodies, allowing her to help but only in the smallest way possible…" Naminé's list kept growing until Riku had finally had it.

"But we did that to protect her!" Riku finally shouted.

"So you call _this _protecting her? By letting her sacrifice herself for your sakes? Even for a plan that she _already_ knew was going to fail?" Roxas said as he gestured towards the pale girl on the ground. At this, no one could meet his words or his eyes. Riku, Sora, Kairi, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all knew that what he spoke was the truth.

"We tried; we ran as fast as we could…we defeated them as quickly as possible…" Donald warbled as he tried to offer up an explanation to their inquisitors.

"You tried?" Roxas said.

"Were you trying hard…or hardly trying?" Naminé said suggestively.

"NO!" Sora stood as he shouted, his blue eyes still shining with a few unshed tears. "None of us wanted this, and we tried as hard as any of us could to prevent it. I didn't want Geni to come along because if she stayed at the castle while we battled the Organization, if we defeated them, maybe then there would have been a way to restore her heart…somehow…"

"So all of this…all this battling…was for her? To help her? To save her?" Roxas inquired. His eyes glanced briefly to Naminé, sparkling with mischief.

"Yes." This time it was Kairi who answered. She stood up next to Sora, her fingers entwined with his. "That is all any of us ever wanted to accomplish since we met her."

Roxas and Naminé looked to each other, and smiled. "Well, if you feel so strongly about it, then why don't we?" Naminé said. The six people in front of her stared at her like deer in a car's headlights.

"Help her? How?" Goofy asked, scratching his head.

"Kingdom Hearts has already taken her heart," Donald supplemented. "And King Mickey even said that…she's gone…"

"Is she really?" Naminé said. "Sora, what about the stone Geni gave you and its _special properties_?" Sora looked confused for a moment, until he started grabbing for the cord under his shirt. Finally plucking it out, he stared at it in amazement. The little crystal still had a tinge of purple to it; it was faint, but it was still there.

"But…that's not possible…" Sora thought out loud. "It's still glowing a little. Somehow she's still alive." Several gasps were heard around him. Kairi bent to see the crystal better.

"What does this mean then? Since her heart is gone, and now her body…" Kairi interjected.

"What if someone else had taken it first?" Roxas said with a grin.

"Who?" King Mickey asked, all anger drained from him.

Roxas turned back towards the tear, and called into it. "Hey! You're on, you two!" More blurry shapes began to appear like before, and soon the fuzzy shape split into two distinct forms. As they walked out of the portal, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey gasped in shock.

"Axel!" Sora shouted, running up to the supposedly dead Nobody.

"Hey," he said. He was still wearing his robe from Organization XIII, and looking pretty good except he was see through like Roxas and Naminé. "Got someone for you to meet," he said as he stepped aside.

Sora had his second heart attack of the day when he beheld the person standing behind Axel. The person was a girl, and that girl was the twin of the one lying on the ground not too far behind him. She, unlike Axel, Naminé, and Roxas, was completely solid. Of course, she had her own obvious differences; her hair was tied into two spiky buns behind her ears and she had two long spikes framing her face that were dyed purple. Besides her eccentric hairstyle, her clothing was rather plain. She was wearing a pair of long black pants, and a blue tank top over a black one that had its straps slid down onto her arms. She was also wearing a pair of black boots, and had a necklace with a heart locket on it similar to the one Geni had back at the Disney Castle. Sora could only stand there with his mouth open in amazement. "Wh-who are you?" he finally spit out.

"My name is Cirèna," she said with a smile. "And you must be Sora. I've wanted to meet you for so long, and Geni too. But I believe that our first meeting must also be our last, for her sake."

"This is Geni's Nobody," Axel explained after still seeing many blank looks directed towards them. "However, Cirèna is more than a Nobody: she is also part human as well."

"That's incredible!" King Mickey said, walking over to her. "How is that possible?" he asked Axel, quite intrigued by her as he walked around her and inspected her closely.

"Well…it all began twelve years ago…"

"Hold it Axel." Riku had now stood up to join the group. "First things first, how are you all here?" he asked, using his arm to gesture to the four of them. "And didn't you use up all of your power in the void before?" Sora added.

"Sheesh, one question at a time. For one thing, yes I did – and dying is a good a word as any to use for what happened. When Nobodies use up all of their power, they disappear back into the nothingness. However, the three of us didn't for some reason. Before I completely disappeared, I saved some of my power to open one last portal to The World That Never Was for Geni after she followed you. Once I did that, I found myself standing in an empty place – was really foggy though – with Roxas and Naminé here. Don't ask me where we were, because none of us still have any idea."

"Anyway," Roxas said, giving Axel a look, "for some reason all of us just appeared there. For me, it seemed only moments from when we joined back in Twilight Town. For Axel, only moments after he opened the portal. And for Naminé, moments after she met Geni down by the bridge. None of us knew what was going on, but soon the fog began to lift and we found ourselves in a strange room. And Cirèna was there waiting for us."

"I knew that it would happen one day, that someone would come for me when the time came," Cirèna finally said. "You see, I've been in existence since Geni's heart was taken from her when she was three. However, even though I was a typical Nobody – the body left over after the heart leaves – I had one thing not one Nobody in existence ever did have: a heart. For some reason, the half of Geni's heart that was taken was transferred into me. So, I'm really half Nobody and half human."

"So that's what happened," King Mickey mused.

"Exactly. I was born into the universe at 3 years old, and have been growing since then like any other human would. However, I have always had the knowledge of a Nobody and the knowledge that my existence was only temporary. I was taken in by a kind family on the world that I happened to arrive on, and have been living there since with some knowledge of the Heartless. But, since I was created from Geni, I knew I must eventually return my borrowed life to her. And so I have waited."

"So that's it? You're just going to give up your life, just like that?" Kairi asked, slightly awed by her bravery, but also confused. "What about your own life? You still have your own heart, so you are your own person."

"I don't regret the life I've lived," Cirèna said with a smile. "I've had a family, plenty of friends, and many experiences to make memories with. I've even _felt_ emotion, something no other Nobody has done. I've lived my life to its fullest with the gift that was granted to me, and now it is time to return the favor."

"How?" Sora asked.

"By giving Geni back what is rightfully hers. I have been safekeeping this since it came to me only a short time ago." Cirèna undid the clasp to her locket, all the while walking towards Sora. Holding it out in front of her, she said, "Watch." The locket began to glow, and the hinge on one side opened with a _click_. Light began to trickle out of the locket and hover above it, until it had emptied. It swirled around in a small tornado until it began to take shape. And that shape was heart-shaped, halfway. "I believe this is Geni's?" she said, knowing obviously it _was_ hers.

"Geni's heart!" Sora shouted with joy. "But how –?!"

"Her heart sought its other half, mine. It suddenly appeared in front of me, and I knew it was time to go home. I know that Geni is gone; I felt her presence disappear just before we arrived. However, since I am half human and full of life force, when I join her heart with mine inside of her body, it should bring her back." And with that, hope was rekindled in all hearts present. "However…"

"What?" Riku said quickly.

"There is also a slightly possibility that Geni's body would still reject the transfer, and all of this would be in vain."

"But…there is still the possibility that it will work, right? We have to try," Sora said earnestly.

Cirèna smiled at him. "I knew you would say that." She turned towards the other Nobodies. "Thanks, you three, for all that you've done."

"Hey, no problem," Roxas said. "It's about time we got going." Roxas, Axel, and Naminé stepped back into the rift of light.

"Hey, don't forget about us now!" Axel said as he waved goodbye. The rift slowly began to close on the three friends.

"Never," Sora said definitively as he watched the three of them disappear. "Where are they going?"

"I don't know," Cirèna answered with a shrug. They stared in silence until a polite cough interrupted them. "Um, shall we get started?" Cirèna said. "I don't know what will happen, so you all might want to take a step back or two. What I do know is that her body will be restored first, followed by her spirit, mind, magic, etcetera. As to _how_ exactly…I have no idea." They nodded, and the six of them retreated a good fifteen feet away from Geni's still body and Cirèna holding her heart in her hands.

"Hey, Cirèna?" She looked up, and saw Riku watching her with an intense gaze.

"Yes?"

"Thank you, for doing this for her. You know, you could have kept her heart for yourself and become fully human. Yet you willingly are going to give up your own existence just to try and bring back hers. Not many people are that brave."

"It's no big deal," she replied. "I only hope that it works. Wish me luck!" After several well wishes and thumbs up, Cirèna knelt down next to Geni. She took the staff that was wrapped in her hands and replaced it in its holster at her waist. Her hands were shaking, and she hoped none of them noticed. Yes, she was happy, but still scared as to what would happen to both of them. Would one survive and one not, or would they both fall in the end? _Please, _please_, let this work_, she thought to herself.

Taking Geni's heart in her right hand, she picked up one of Geni's hands with her left. Suddenly, her body and the heart began to glow softly. The heart flew gently from Cirèna's hands and disappeared into Geni's chest. Cirèna herself began to fade, her light transferring from herself to Geni. When the light had completely disappeared...nothing happened. Didn't it work? Did Geni's body reject the hearts and the life force?

Suddenly, light burst forth out of Geni's chest in long tendrils which surrounded her in a swirling vortex. It lifted her body up off of the ground, her legs and arms dangling slightly below her. The vortex of light was solid, an impenetrable barrier surrounding her. It was also very bright and very windy, to say the least. The six hopefuls watched this event with shielded eyes, but also peaked through their fingers hoping to see something miraculous happen.

"What's going on?" Kairi said, her hands shielding her face.

"Well, my guess is on what Cirèna said. Geni's body is being restored, and whatever goes along with that," Riku assumed. What he wasn't revealing was his personal doubts. You can't _really _bring anyone back from the dead, can you? Riku didn't think any of them could stand another death today – _especially_ if it was the same person who had died before. His feelings were about to be put to the test, for at that moment the vortex began to dim and slow as well. Geni was gradually falling back to the ground, the light continuing to fade until it was a dim glow on her skin. Gently she was set on the ground; but even as the light finally faded away she did not stir. They waited several moments, hoping for some kind of sign. When finally nothing appeared to have changed, Riku was the first to go and investigate.

As he walked over to Geni's body, he noticed that the necklace Cirèna had had was now around Geni's neck. Other than that, Riku didn't notice any obvious changes to her appearance. Her skin looked slightly more pinkish than it had been, and so Riku wanted to see if it had worked or not. He was about to pick up one of her hands when everything around him was engulfed in darkness.

_It was pitch black, and he couldn't see anything around him. The top of the castle had disappeared along with his friends, including Geni. He could see himself for some reason, and tried waving his arms in the darkness around him. Feeling nothing, Riku wondered what in the world had happened._

_He stood up, and began walking around to see if anything revealed itself. He didn't have to wait for long, because after a few dozen steps he found himself in a long hallway full of different colored doors. Some were bright and cheery, while a few were dark and dismal. What is this place? Riku thought to himself._

_"Well, well. I didn't expect _this_ to happen." Riku looked around for the voice, preparing to deploy his Keyblade. "Over here, Riku." He looked towards where he thought the voice was originating from, and low and behold, through a small hallway to his left was a large common room of sorts. Cirèna was standing in the middle of it, looking tired._

_"Cirèna? What's going on?" Riku asked as he joined her in the large, domed room._

_"Welcome to Geni's heart, Riku."_

_Riku stared at her. "You mean I'm inside of her?"_

_"Sort of. This particular space exists inside of everyone to hold their thoughts and memories."_

_"So what am I doing here then? I was just going to check to see if what you had done had worked and then I find myself here."_

_"I believe – and I am guessing here – that Geni's body has restored itself, yes. But her heart must be unlocked; somehow, I think she locked it up just in case there was a way to revive her. Locking it like this was an easy way to make sure that her memory wasn't erased when she was brought back."_

_"Makes sense," Riku said slowly. "But, why am I here?"_

_"My guess is that you have something to do with unlocking it. If you can find the key, she'll wake up." At this, Cirèna began to disappear._

_"Hey, wait! Aren't you going to help me?"_

_"Good luck Riku!" is all that she said before she smiled and vanished._

_"Fine then," Riku mumbled. "What kind of key unlocks someone's heart, besides a Keyblade, anyway?" Not knowing where he was going, Riku began walking around observing the doors in the general area. He chanced opening a bright red door, and when he swung it open he was rewarded with a memory of when Geni was little and playing with a star-shaped doll. Closing that, he walked toward a dark gray door and opened that. Inside was a large bedroom that was unoccupied; however, it seemed like a small tornado had ripped through it – there were books, bottles, clothes, and miscellaneous things strewn all over. Riku closed that door as well and sighed._

_"I guess finding this key won't be that easy," he thought. He turned around and walked back out of the room and back onto what he thought was the main hallway. As he walked, he noticed how quiet it was. There was not a sound, nothing besides his own breathing. And when he suddenly heard crying coming from somewhere in front of him, it startled him to say the least. As he went forward, the crying became louder and louder until he came to a four way cross section in the middle of the hallway. Looking around, he finally saw another room like the one Cirèna had been in before. In the middle of it was a little girl, crying her eyes out. Riku carefully walked toward her, not knowing what she might be. "Hello?" he ventured._

_The little girl looked up and Riku got a shock. It was a miniature version of Geni, probably when she was around seven years old or so. "Who-who're you?" she said, hiccupping._

_"My name is Riku," he said gently as he walked over and kneeled in front of her. "And what's you're name?"_

_"Geni," she said, brushing the tears from her eyes._

_"What's the matter?" Riku asked. "Why were you crying?"_

_"Because everyone's gone and left me in the dark," she said. "I don't like the dark; there are _things_ in it," she said with a shudder._

_Riku smiled; she seemed like any other little kid he had met. "Well, I don't think there are any of those…things…around here. How about this: I'll help you find everyone if you help me find something too."_

_Little Geni looked up at him with a huge smile, and jumped to her feet. "Okee-dokee! What are you looking for?"_

_"Well, it's a key." Little Geni thought hard for a moment, her face scrunched up in thought. As she thought, Riku had a moment to really look at her. It was Geni alright, but her clothes were strange looking. She had on some puffy looking pants that got wider at the bottom that promptly bunched up at the ankle, with some ballet slipper type shoes on her feet, and a skirt that was cut into large sections on the front and back and smaller ones on the sides. She had on a shirt with long sleeves attached that flared at the hand, and some kind of leather chest protector on over that which only covered her upper chest area and back. The skirt was embroidered with strange designs that Riku didn't recognize._

_That doesn't look like anything she would wear at the castle, he thought. His musings were interrupted when Little Geni starting squirming._

_"What does it look like?" Little Geni asked after a moment._

_"Well, I don't really know," Riku answered truthfully._

_"How can we find it if we don't know what it looks like!" she said with exasperation. "You're weird. But…" she started twiddling her fingers and looked towards the floor._

_"Yes?" Riku said as he stood up._

_"Can you still help me find everyone?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Yippee! Then let's go!" Little Geni ran forward and grabbed his hand and practically dragged him out into the hallway._

_"Do you know where you are going?" Riku asked, slightly suspicious._

_"Nope!" the little one said happily. Riku sighed, and Little Geni led him through countless corridors, past hundreds of doors, until Riku had no idea where they were anymore. The corridors seemed to be all the same, except for the door colors that constantly changed. Soon, they came to another cross section in the hallway, and at this point Little Geni paused. "Hmm, this way looks a little familiar," as she looked to her left. "We must be getting close."_

_"To what?" Riku asked, confused enough already._

_"To her place, of course," she replied with a giggle._

_"Who?"_

_"The old lady," she said almost reverently. "She knows everything around here. Maybe she knows where everyone is and where your key is."_

_"Then let's go find her," Riku replied. Little Geni nodded, and she pulled on his arm and they took the left corridor. Not long after they came to a split, but Riku could see another one of those domed rooms ahead of them again. However, this room was not filled with doors, but windows. As they entered the room, Riku noticed someone was sitting on an overstuffed chair in the middle of the room. They were reading a thick book, and seemed not to have noticed their entrance, until… "Hey, old lady! Lady!" Little Geni let go of Riku's hand and ran in front of the chair and waved her arms around to get the woman's attention._

_Riku couldn't have told if it was a woman anyway because of the dark cloak she was wearing. It draped all the way to her feet and her fingertips, and her face was shrouded by a large hood._

_"Well hello little one. It seems you have brought a new friend with you." The lady swiveled and faced Riku. "And who are you, young man?"_

_"My name is Riku," he said politely. "And who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"_

_"Oh, no one in particular," she dismissed with a wave of her hand._

_"What about me?" Little Geni burst out, her hands making little fists on her hips._

_"Oh, I'm sorry," the lady said with a laugh. She pulled a little package from one of her sleeves and handed it to the little girl. "Here you are."_

_Little Geni squealed in glee and took the package while squeaking out a thank you. She promptly sat down and opened it, revealing several pieces of chocolate. "Now, for you," she said. With a wave of her hand, a chair appeared behind Riku. She placed a bookmark onto her page and set the book down beside her. "Please, have a seat. Now how may I help you?"_

_Riku sat down in the simple wooden chair she had provided. "Actually, I was told by Cirèna to look for a key, somewhere here in Geni's heart. Do you know what she was talking about at all?"_

_"I see," the lady said. "I have been watching through the windows here." She gestured towards the windows surrounding them. "These windows show me her present situation, as well as events currently happening at the same time on any world I please. I know what Cirèna did, and why you are here now. I was the one who locked up Geni's heart, to prevent us from vanishing if you did happen to succeed. Now as for that key, you are it."_

_"Excuse me?!" Riku exclaimed._

_"Yes. You see, when someone locks themselves away, or turns in upon themselves in times of despair or distress, it takes someone who is very close to them to open them up again to the world around them. As you know, we are memories. Well, at least the little one is. She represents Geni's past."_

_"I see," Riku murmured._

_"And I represent her future. You are probably wondering why you cannot see my face, correct?"_

_"A little," Riku admitted._

_"I have none, because the future is never set in stone. There are thousands of choices made each day, and each one leads us to a different future that we create for ourselves. So I am always changing, always evolving. To unlock Geni's heart, you need to find her present – who she is at this very moment. But to do that, you must see something else first."_

_"What is that?"_

_"A part of Geni's recent past, which might dramatically affect her future with all of you." The lady finally stood up, and headed to a window directly in front of them. She was slender and graceful, and tall as well – only and inch or so taller than Riku at that moment. She motioned for Riku to join her. Riku followed her, and gazed in wonder at the shifting scenes upon the glass. "Pay attention," she commanded. Riku nodded, and with a wave of her hand the glass shifted one last time._

_A bright city, with many of the buildings made of some kind of light colored stone, was spread as far as the eye could see. Waterways ran throughout the region, and he could see boats cruising up and down them. Large buildings were interspersed with the smaller ones, and everywhere he looked he could see people bustling about. The picture slowly focused in on a large domed building in the center of the city. It kept closing the distance to the building until suddenly the scene changed and Riku assumed they must be inside of the building. In reality the building was actually a huge stadium, and thousands upon thousands of people were in it. Even though the room was completely silent, aside from occasional crinkling of plastic from behind them, Riku could tell they were cheering at something on the stadium floor. The picture zoomed in until it was on the lowest level of seating, and Riku could make out that two people were fighting each other._

_"Wha-?" he began as he looked towards the lady, before she cut him off._

_"Watch," she again commanded. Riku sighed, and turned his attention back to the window. Now the window was focusing the picture even more until Riku could see the fighters clearly. He could see that one was a man at least a half a foot or more taller than the other, with a fair complexion and raven black hair. The other was turned away from him, but Riku immediately recognized who it was once their weapon came into view after their current grappling session: a long black staff etched with runes._

_Geni?! But who is she fighting? Riku wondered as he watched two of them battle. He also quickly realized that Geni was wearing an outfit similar to what Little Geni was wearing right now._

_If she's not at the castle, then where is she? Also, if this was recent, how is she fighting with that kind of strength? he wondered. Riku was witnessing devastating attacks, physical, magical, and elemental, that were wreaking havoc upon each other and the arena. After a moment, the battle came to an end when Geni put the last of her power into one final attack and the man flew across the ground and slammed into the wall. He did not get up, and after a moment Geni too swayed and fell to the ground unconscious. At this point the window darkened, and went back to showing random blurred images._

_"What…was that?" Riku asked slowly. "Why was Geni fighting that person?"_

_"You must understand, Riku. First of all, it is not my place to say anything. Secondly, you will forget everything you saw here once Geni awakens."_

_"But why? Isn't what you showed me supposed to be important?"_

_"It is, yes. That battle decided a certain path Geni's life might take. To take that path, she needs the support of her family and friends because on that path she just might have to leave them behind."_

_"And just what does that mean?" Riku demanded. "'Leave us behind'?"_

_"That is all you need to know, or not know in any case. Since you will be forgetting, you will only have a feeling, a vague memory when this comes to be. For now, though, you must continue on." The lady turned around and headed back to Little Geni. The little girl looked at her and stood up, taking the lady's hand in her own little sticky one. They both turned to look at Riku._

_"Good luck," Little Geni said. "We have to go now. Bye!"_

_"Wait! What about –?" But it was too late. Little Geni and the strange woman had already disappeared, and along with them the bright room full of windows. Riku found himself once again in the hallway, but without a guide this time – even if they really didn't know where they were going the first time. However, Riku found that they had given him a small clue. The hallway he was in went only two ways, forward and back. He tried turning around and took only a step before he collided with an invisible wall._

_"Okay, forward it is," he said as he rubbed his sore nose. Riku walked, and walked, and walked. It seemed as if the hallways never ended; none of the doors had any peculiar markings on them so he couldn't tell if he was walking in circles or not. After a while, however, Riku noticed that the doors were all beginning to be decorated with bright colors, not like some of the more somber tones he had seen earlier. Also, the hallways themselves seemed to be illuminated with some kind of invisible light. They were brighter, but no lanterns or light bulbs were to be seen. The cheery attitude this particular area radiated seemed to give Riku hope that he was almost to his destination. For once, he was right. Not five minutes later he entered another domed room, this one quite different from the others. All over the walls were pictures of people: King Mickey, Queen Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, Sora, Riku (as he looked before), Kairi, Naminé, Roxas, Leon, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Merlin, Axel (for some odd reason) and hundreds of others. And in the center of the room was a small bed with no headboard or footboard. And upon this bed Geni slept._

_Riku quickly ran to the center of the room. Geni looked just as she had when Riku saw her outside; however, this Geni looked perfectly fine and was breathing deeply, practically comatose._

_"Geni! Wake up!" he said as he gently shook her shoulders. Nothing – not even a twitch. "Come on, wake up sleepyhead!" Riku tried shaking her and calling her name several more times before he stopped, realizing that wasn't going to wake her up._

_"Okay, think, think," Riku muttered to himself as he sat down with his back leaning on the edge of the bed. "Geni needs a key to wake up; that key is me. So what am I supposed to do?" Riku thought for a moment, and then stood up. He released his Keyblade, and pointed it at Geni. Nothing happened. "Well, that should have been obvious. Now what?" he said as he reabsorbed his Keyblade._

_I'm the key, but that key is not my Keyblade. Locks are opened by keys, and Geni's heart is locked. So I have the key to her heart, to her. Geni must have thought that she would never see any of us again, or survive after her heart was taken from her. She was sad…depressed…without hope…does that mean I just have to tell her that she and everyone else are okay? Not knowing what else to do, he knelt down next to Geni. Hesitantly, he put one of his hands over one of hers._

_"Geni? I...don't know if you can hear me or not, but you don't have to worry anymore. Everyone is okay: King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Sora, Kairi, and me. We defeated Xemnas, so the Organization is gone for good. And your Nobody, Cirèna? I don't know if you ever realized you had one, but she came back and gave you your half a heart and combined her half a heart with yours when everyone thought you had died. You're alive, Geni. So please, _please_, just wake up," Riku pleaded with her. Geni slept on, oblivious to his words. Riku tightened his grip on her hand. His other hand slowly curled into a fist as Geni continued to sleep. "Why!" he finally yelled out. "What am I supposed to do? I don't know how to wake her up!" He pounded his fist on the bed. "I'm the key, right? Then how do I unlock someone's heart!"_

_And then it hit him. Riku was the key; Riku was his own Keyblade. He and his Keyblade are one being, as is Sora, King Mickey, and Kairi with theirs. Without a word, Riku released Geni's hand and cautiously leaned over her. He placed both hands – _carefully_ – on her chest, where her heart was. He closed his eyes, imagining the lock opening in his mind. At the moment Riku thought he had released the lock, Geni's eyes fluttered open._

"Riku! Riku! Hey man, snap out of it!" Sora was shouting into his ear. Riku jumped, dropping Geni's hand in the process.

"Sora, don't _do_ that!" he snapped as he turned to face him. However, he suddenly realized he was back on top of the castle. "What happened?" he suddenly said. "I was just –"

"Riku, are you okay?" King Mickey asked. He was standing next to Riku, his hand on his shoulder. "We saw you go and check on her, then you suddenly, well..."

"You were sleeping on your feet, is a good way to put it," Goofy supplied.

"How long?" Riku asked, confused.

"Only a couple of minutes," Sora answered. His eyes still radiated concern. "What happened?"

"I'm...not sure," he replied. "I was in Geni's heart, somehow. All I remember is something about a key..." Riku said hesitantly.

"Well, you must have done something...look..." Kairi said, awe apparent in her voice. She was pointing to Geni. She now looked as Riku had seen her in her heart. Her face was a pleasant pink color, and her chest was slowly rising and falling.

"She's alive..." Sora said quietly. "Riku...you did it!" He slapped his friend on the back. All of the others gave him congratulations as well. All the while, they hadn't noticed that Geni was beginning to stir, her breathing quickening, and her eyelids opening just a crack. It was not until her eyes were halfway open that Donald happened to look down and see it.

"Geni!" he warbled out happily. The others quickly looked down to see their friend awake, staring at them quietly. Sora quickly swiveled back to her, putting his head near her face.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked nervously. Geni blinked several more times before her eyes opened completely. They were strangely empty and blank. After a moment she tried sitting up, and Sora put his hand on her back to steady her. "Geni?" he asked again, hoping for some sign of recognition.

Geni continued to stare at him, occasionally blinking. Their staring contest continued for another moment until her eyes suddenly cleared, and the last of her missing mental pieces were restored to her. "Sora?" she said in a confused voice.

"You're back!" Sora shouted as he lunged for her and wrapped her in a large bear hug. Geni was quite taken aback, to say the least.

"Sora? What's wrong? Did I miss something?" Her arms were still at her sides, but she didn't struggle to release herself from his death grip.

Sora laughed, and withdrew his hug. Geni noticed a few tears in his eyes, and looked around to see the same expression on the rest of her friends faces. "I'll say you have," he said. However, his next sentence was put on hold as the three inhabitants of Disney Castle glomped her, knocking her back to the ground.

"Geni! We're so happy you're back!" Goofy said as he squished her.

"Me too!" Donald said, imitating him.

"All of us, I believe," King Mickey said as he ruffled her hair, "are quite relieved that you haven't left us permanently."

"What are you talking about?" Geni asked as she finally was able to sit up and push off Donald and Goofy. She loved them dearly, but sometimes they were just too emotional for their own good. "Did I go somewhere?"

"Don't you remember?" Kairi asked. Geni looked up to her.

"Hmm, let me think." She scrunched up her brow in thought. In a moment realization dawned on her, and she looked around in mortification. "Oh...oh dear. I guess I owe all of you an apology," she said quietly.

All of this time Riku had been behind her, so Geni hadn't gotten a good look at him yet. As he stood up, he backed up a few paces. _She's okay_, Riku thought happily to himself. _So why is my heart still pounding?_

"Don't worry about it," Sora said as he offered her a hand. She gratefully took it and stood up, only slightly wobbly. "We're just glad to have you back."

"I didn't mean to make you all worry!" she said earnestly. "But I thought that maybe if..."

"That's enough," King Mickey said sternly.

Geni looked down at him, fingering her skirt. _Oh boy, I'm in trouble now..._

King Mickey sighed before continuing. "You did what you thought would help and it did. Xemnas is gone, the Organization is gone, and the worlds are safe again. We _all_ helped," he finished with a smile.

"Yeah!" Sora shouted happily. His glee lasted only for a moment, before he turned to his sister with a serious look on his face. "How are you feeling, by the way?" he asked with worry.

"Fine. Why do you ask?"

"You don't feel..._different_?" Sora asked, putting much emphasis on the last word.

"Not really. I feel absolutely fine." Geni suddenly paused, realization of what Sora was asking finally sinking in. She was immediately still, and brought her hand up to her chest. As she concentrated, she felt the wholeness in her heart, the completeness she had been searching so long for. She looked up at Sora, tears in her eyes. "How?" she finally whispered.

"Your Nobody," Sora said with a smile. "She had your other half, and when she combined the two, you came back."

"We owe much thanks to her," King Mickey said.

"And apologies to you," Goofy said uneasily. King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Sora, and Riku looked down at their feet. "Sorry, for everything, you know."

"For what?" Geni asked, quite puzzled. "What did you guys do?"

"For not treating you like the great person that you really are," someone said from behind her. She blushed slightly, her cheeks flushing pink. Geni turned around, and noticed a young man with silvery hair standing behind her. She couldn't help but stare at him, thinking she had seen him somewhere before.

_Why do I feel like my stomach is full of butterflies?_ she thought to herself. _Who is this guy?_

"He's right, you know," Sora added. "Most of us treated you like you were sick and weakly all the time, even though most of the time you weren't. Sorry," Sora said, still examining the ground below him.

"So? I was, wasn't I? But now I'm not, so don't worry about it," Geni said with a smile. She quickly walked over and shouldered Sora. "Besides, I bet I could _easily_ beat you at sparring now."

"You want to test that theory?" Sora said mock-threateningly.

"Anytime, anywhere," she said as sparks flew between their eyes. "But before that, who's your new friend, Sora?"


	26. Endings and Beginnings

Chapter 24

Sora looked around, confused at the question. "Who are you talking about?" Not wanting to be obvious, Geni tilted her head slightly to her front left. Sora noticed the gesture and laughed.

"What?" Geni said, irritated.

"Come on, don't joke like that."

"Who says I'm joking?"

"Geni –" before he could finish his next sentence, King Mickey intervened.

"Geni _has_ missed a few things Sora," he gently reminded him. "Why don't you properly introduce them?"

Sora smacked his forehead. "Of course! I almost forgot!" He grabbed Geni's wrist and dragged her over by Riku. "I think he looks a little different from the last time you met, but he's still the same guy. Geni, this is Riku." They were at the moment standing in front of Riku, but after Sora's little speech he moved over a little so they could say hi.

Geni could only stand there and stare at him. Her face still blushed a faint pink. As hard as she tried, though, she couldn't identify the young man standing in front of her. He had silver hair, aquamarine eyes, and was only a head taller than she was. Geni felt like she knew him, but fear was holding her back. Why was she afraid? She knew Riku, so if this guy was him, why wasn't she saying anything? The key word here is _if_. Even though Sora said it _was_ Riku, Geni still couldn't believe it with her own two eyes.

Riku, on the other hand, was having his own inner battle. What should he say? What should he do? Geni was staring at him, her blue eyes drilling holes into him. After a moment, he opted to finally (at least) say hello to her. He took a small step towards her, but was rewarded with a look of surprise and her stepping away from him. _Is she scared of me? What for?_ He reached out a hand, then shook his head and put it back down. "Um, hey Geni."

Geni was startled at the change in his voice. Gone was the deep, almost raspy voice of Xehanort's Heartless. What had replaced it was the voice of a young man, one who was still growing into his role in life. She couldn't believe the difference...almost wouldn't. Geni took one more step backwards, which didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the group.

Sora looked on, concerned. "Geni? What's the matter? It's Riku, not some stranger." And then he realized it: Riku _was_ a stranger, at least to her. They all saw the end of the transformation, and had known immediately it was their friend. Also, Riku now looked like an older version of himself, of the person Sora last saw at Hollow Bastion over a year ago. Sora realized Geni must never have seen him in his original form.

Riku's heart fell when he saw her step away from him, fear evident in her eyes. _She doesn't recognize me_, he thought sadly. _How can I show her I'm still the same person?_ Riku thought hard, thinking of something only the two of them would know. He stepped forward again, this time confident that he could show her his true self. "Please don't be that way Geni. It's really me, even though I look different. Remember? How I told you about it and why I did it?" His eyes pleaded with her, to make her understand.

She paused, hearing his words. _What is he getting at?_ she wondered. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said cautiously, slowly creeping back towards the people she knew.

"Of course you do! When we were talking on the beach, sitting on the roots of the ancient tree at night."

Geni halted in her tracks as Riku clearly described their meeting place inside of their dreams. "How do you know about that?" she whispered.

"Because I was there, remember? Please, Geni, trust me."

She didn't move any farther back, but she didn't move any closer to him either. Geni wanted so badly to believe it was Riku; her heart strained against her chest, knowing what her head did not. "I...I don't...I don't know..." she stammered. "I'm sorry..." she said quietly as she lowered her head.

Finally, Riku had had enough. There was only one definitive way that she would understand. "Shorty!" he said sternly.

She froze. Only one person called her that...only one person whom she allowed to make a reference to her diminutive size...only one person whom she cared enough about to make that name an endearment towards her. She slowly looked up, tears threatening to fall. They stared into each other's eyes before Riku quickly closed the distance between them and forcefully pulled her into a tight hug, trapping her in his embrace. "Please believe me..." he whispered into her ear quietly, begging, pleading her to.

Her arms were pinned to her sides, and her head was lying on his chest as he held the back of her head to him and his other arm her back. Knowing only one way, Geni quietly closed her eyes and let her heart take over. She felt the beat of her own heart, and in a second she recognized the heart beating frantically inside of her friend. Riku felt her relax into him, his head still buried in her shoulder. She slowly allowed her arms to rise and circle around him, finally returning the gesture with an emphasized squeeze. "It _is_ you," she whispered back. "I'm so sorry for doubting you," she said as tears fell from her eyes – for once, not of sadness, but of pure elation.

"Don't be," Riku whispered back. The others watched this heartfelt scene with a mixture of emotions. Sora was happy that his sister and Riku had finally met, Goofy and Donald were sniffing at the two friends, Kairi was slightly bemused, and King Mickey was thinking that they should have brought tissues when packing for this trip. However, their heartfelt reunion was cut short when the ground began to rumble under their feet. Geni clung to Riku as not to fall over, while Kairi quickly made her way over to Sora.

"Look's like our time has run out here. We've gotta get going!" King Mickey said frantically.

Riku nodded, and headed towards the front of the group. Geni and Riku's hands were tightly clasped together, and nothing, save for the end of existence, would tear them apart. "I'll open a pathway," Riku said defiantly. He put out his hand, but nothing happened. "What –?"

"You aren't a part of the dark realm anymore, Riku," Geni said warmly.

"Then how are we to get out of here, your majesty?" Donald asked.

"Hmm..." King Mickey said as he furrowed his brow.

At that same moment, both Kairi and Sora had a strange feeling, and turned around to see a ghostly image of Naminé behind them. She smiled at them, then turned and opened a dark portal. King Mickey felt the surge of darkness, and looked behind him. Shouting with glee, he ran over towards the portal, Donald hot on his tail.

"Who did this?" Donald asked.

"Welp, I'm not sure. But we had better hurry and get through while it holds."

"Bark bark!" Pluto cried as he circled around the two once and dashed through the portal.

"Wait for me!" Goofy yelled as he came barreling after Pluto, almost running over the king and Donald. King Mickey followed right after, and Donald in his excitement only had the forethought to yell for the four teens after he dashed in as well. Sora and Kairi were the first to walk over, followed by Riku and Geni. Neither pair had left each other's side, each wanting to stay close to the one they had found again.

As the approached the portal, Naminé appeared in front of it. "Thank you, Naminé," Kairi said.

"Sure," she said. "See? We met again, like we promised," she said to Sora.

"Excuse me?" he said, a little confused. However, at that moment, an ethereal voice was heard.

"You said we'd meet again, but when we did, we might not recognize each other," Roxas finished as he stepped out from Sora, giving him quite the surprise.

"I did, didn't I?" Naminé said with a small laugh.

"But I knew you," Roxas said.

"Mmm...it's strange, isn't it?"

"I think I finally understand; I see myself the way you remember me, and you see yourself as the way I remember you."

"I always thought Nobodies were destined to fade back into the darkness..."  
"Yeah, but you and I didn't. We even got to meet our original selves!"

"So...we can be together again!"

"Right," Roxas said as he went to stand beside Naminé. "Anytime Sora and Kairi are together."

"Then we'll be together everyday, right, Sora?" Kairi said with a knowing smile. Sora nodded and smiled back, turning a little pink. And with that, Kairi and Naminé shook hands and Naminé faded into Kairi with a shimmer of yellow. Sora was astounded, until...

"Look sharp!" Sora straightened, looking around. Roxas closed his eyes, and also faded into Sora with a shimmer of blue. Sora looked around, feeling his clothes. He didn't feel any different, but...

"Don't worry, you're all still you," Riku said with a laugh as he walked up next to him with Geni by his side.

"Let's all go home!" Kairi said, as she walked towards the portal. Geni nodded and walked with her. Kairi and Geni had just stepped inside the portal when Geni felt that something was wrong. Turning around, she realized that the dark portal was closing – without Sora and Riku in it.

"Sora! Riku!" she shouted frantically. The two boys ran, but the last thing they saw before the portal closed them out were the horrified faces of their two friends.

"No!" Riku kept running, trying to find a way to open the portal again. "This can't be happening!"

"Riku, look!" Sora said as he pointed to a glowing orb in the distance. Suddenly, something birdlike broke out of the gigantic orb and began flying around them. Part of its wing clipped the topmost turret they were on and it began to crumble to the ground. Riku and Sora began to slide treacherously of off the building, until Riku saw a glider that had fallen near them. Jumping up, he landed and started the engine right away. It puttered for a moment, making Riku sweat nervously, until it started with a whirr. He glided once around the top of the turret until he came in sight of a pad Sora could jump off of.

"Sora, jump!" he called. Sora nodded, and raced down the ever angling roof until he saw a flat piece of masonry he could jump off of. Landing gracefully onto the side car of the glider, the duo raced off after the bird-like monster. By an unspoken agreement, Sora and Riku assumed that the only way to get home was to defeat whatever remnant of the darkness was left.

Sora slashed as Riku expertly navigated around the dangerous cannons and sharp claws. All too soon, the creature was dropping out of the sky, the Keybearers victorious. However, once the monster reached the ground, it turned the entire surrounding area into a black hole, sucking everything into it. The little glider fought against the powerful pull, but soon the Keybearers were being pulled into the black hole against their will. Enormous pieces of building and rock were thrown at them, forcing the two to slice through them in order to reach the now mutated creature. It was draining the last of the power from the world in order to defeat them, and it looked even more menacing than before: cannons lined the inside of its wings, and its arms were layered with sharp swords.

Riku tried his best to aim for the head, where he could see an open area to land. He assumed its head would be the control center, and how they would be able to stop it. As he pulled up alongside of it, he and Sora quickly jumped off, landing safely inside. As he turned to secure it, to Riku's dismay the glider was already dozens of feet away and had no intent on returning. _Well, there goes our way out_, he thought. The two warriors of light turned and prepared to battle...the bird king once again. Xemnas's alternate form from their first battle was now reinforced more than ever, leaving no defenses open for them to attack at first. His main attack utilized his long red sword, leaving wide open spaces for them to attack. However, his energy barrier that he deployed did not just send them flying into the wall; it threw them out into the abyss surrounding the exterior of the monster. They had to fly back through the debris field for another attack, all the while having to cut away the remainder of the buildings that the monster threw at them. They used them to force away the shielded arms that protected Xemnas every time he threw them out. After a long spiral jump, both Sora and Riku landed in the creature's head and began the battle anew. After several repeats of this, Sora and Riku simultaneously landed the final blow and an explosion of light blinded them temporarily.

The next, and final battleground, was a mixture of the realm of darkness and the realm of light. White and black met to form gray on the walls around them, and even the walls, ceiling, and floor were a moving mass of nothing. There wasn't anything around them to distinguish something from nothing. Sora and Riku stood facing Xemnas, his black coat of Organization XIII now the mix of black, white, and gray like the world around him.

"Heroes from the realm of light," he said as he began yet another drawn out monologue, "I will not allow it to end this way, not yet. If light and darkness are eternal, then surely we nothings must be the same...eternal!"

"You're right," Riku said, "light and darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on for forever too. But guess what Xemnas?"

"That doesn't mean that you're eternal!" Sora finished.

Xemnas laughed. "No more eternal than that radiance of yours." And with that, Xemnas disappeared. He reappeared behind the duo and began to use his black and white vine lightening attack, teleporting in and out and attacking Sora and Riku randomly. His two red light sabers flashing, he seemed to have the upper hand at first – until Sora and Riku pinned him down on the ground.

Xemnas tried using giant balls of darkness on the two, but they easily evaded them and struck at him, toying with him as if he were a yo-yo. All too soon, Xemnas broke away and flew back up into the air. This time, Sora and Riku used their combination attack of Blades on him, spinning their Keyblades dangerously through the air at him. Their Limit Attack of All's End used their Keyblades of light and darkness to unleash their most devastating attack against Xemnas.

The leader of Organization XIII laughed at them. "How long can you stand against me?" he taunted. His maniacal smile widened as he suddenly trapped Sora within an energy ball, draining his life force away rapidly. Riku was thrown backwards, but landing on his feet he immediately charged towards his friend. Xemnas sent barriers, vine lightening, and his clone at him, but it did not deter him in the least. Once underneath them Riku leapt up and thrust his Keyblade between them, and gave Xemnas a swift upper cut to the chin. He used his other hand to push Sora away, then knocked Xemnas around a few times with his Keyblade before he gripped his arm, twirling him, and sending him flying far away from them so Sora could recover using a potion. Sora fell to his knees for a moment before he quickly gulped down a potion, renewing his strength.

"You okay Sora?" Riku asked.

Sora quickly stood up, completely replenished. "Yeah. Let's finish this!" They quickly ran after Xemnas, who had also revived quite quickly. After one more round of vine lightening and a Limit Attack, Xemnas flew high into the air and began to produce a large ball of dark energy between his hands. Forcing it upward, it covered the entire area around them, blocking all sources of light. From within the darkness, thousands of points of light appeared. Sora and Riku quickly moved into a defensive stance, for in the next moment the points of light turned into deadly accurate laser beams. Using reflect continuously, the two managed to evade almost every hit. They were moving so quickly, it was hard to see them with the naked eye.

Once the laser beams ran themselves out, Sora and Riku were in for another surprise. Xemnas had appeared directly in front of them and sent Riku flying with a large explosion. Xemnas had his light saber poised, ready to deal Sora the finishing blow. He gripped his Keyblade, fear running through him like a poison. As Xemnas's hands went up and were quickly gaining distance between himself and Sora, Sora closed his eyes and waited for the final blow, knowing he couldn't avoid it. However, as nothing happened, Sora opened his eyes to see Riku blocking his attack. He quickly shoved Sora away, and while he was spinning back to face Xemnas, Xemnas quickly struck him on his side, earning a loud gasp from Riku.

Sora saw Riku take the blow meant for him, and his eyes turned dark. As Riku flew backwards, Sora dashed forward. Riku held out his Keyblade, and with both the power of light and darkness, he pummeled Xemnas practically back into oblivion for the pain he had caused his friend. As he tossed Xemnas up into the air with the crossing of their Keyblades, he landed next to Riku and held out his Keyblade. Riku nodded, grimacing in pain, and placed his hand upon it. The tip of the Keyblade began to glow, and a stream of light exploded from it, hitting its target straight through the chest. Within moments, Xemnas had disappeared with a roar of anger into a dusty cloud of black and white.

"We did it!" Sora cried, happy that all of the evil was finally gone for _good_. However, Riku had a feeling in his gut, and his suspicions were affirmed when hundreds of Dusks began to pen them in.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," he said warningly. He and Sora went back to back just as the first Dusks began to attack. Even though they used the same tactics over and over, the thousands of Dusks quickly wore the already tired fighters out even more so. After the last few had been defeated, Riku fell to his knees in exhaustion. Sora heard a _thud_, and quickly turned around to see his friend breathing hard, sweat rolling down his face. Of course, Sora was the exact same way; however Riku's full power had not completely returned to him yet because of his transformation earlier and because of the wound Xemnas had given him.

"Riku!" Sora said as he kneeled down by his friend.

"Sora," he said weakly, grasping his side, "I can't..."

"Don't say another word! It's not over, and we aren't home yet. What about all of the people waiting for us? What about _Geni_?" he said.

Riku looked away, ashamed of his weak body. There was still someone waiting for him, someone who had been waiting a _long_ time to see him, and he her. He steeled himself, and looked up at Sora. Sora nodded, and carefully helped Riku to stand up, favoring the leg Xemnas had cut into. There was still a gash in the fabric, but the wound had been of the heart and spirit, not of the flesh. As Sora shifted his friend onto his arm, and they balanced each other, Riku broke the silence.

"...Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"You lead."

"Got it." And with that, the two of them headed towards who knows where, only hoping that they might find a way home. As they walked in silence, Riku limping on his bad leg and Sora supporting him as best he could, it allowed Riku to think of how to phrase what he was going to say to Sora. He had many things to atone for, especially to him.

"You know," he began, "I always figured that I was better at stuff than you were."

"Really?" Sora replied nonchalantly.

"Are you mad?"

"No...I've kind of always thought you were better at everything too." The boys chuckled at this. Sora looked away from his friend, only to see something strange in front of them. "Riku – look. What's that light?"

Riku turned his head and saw a bright epicenter of light that was slowly folding outwards to engulf them in its warmth. However, what they were left with once it disappeared was a dark, barren, wasteland next to a black sea.

"End of the road," Riku said quietly.

"Guess so," Sora added. A bright moon shone in the distance, illuminating the softly lapping water on the sand. It pained Riku to relate it to the one in his dreams, where he had met Geni so often.

"Put me down, I can walk," he said to Sora. Sora looked at him questioningly, but obliged. As soon as he let go Riku stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance. He smiled, and Sora nodded before going to check out the waterfront. Unbeknownst to Sora, it was taking everything Riku had to stand on his own two feet. The wound Xemnas had given to him was worse than he thought.

"You know, maybe the darkness has gotten to me too," he heard Sora say quietly before he fell to the ground in pain. Sora turned at hearing the strange noise. "Riku!" she shouted as he ran back towards his prone friend. Riku struggled to his hands and knees, and rested there a moment as he looked out upon the world they were stranded upon.

"This world is perfect for me," he began slowly. "If this is all the world really is – just this – then maybe I should fade back into the darkness. If the world is made of light and darkness...we'll be the darkness."

With a sigh, Sora sat down next to him. "Yeah. The other side, the realm of light, is safe now. Kairi, Geni, the King, and the others are there."

"That's what I mean," Riku said softly. He paused for a moment. "Sora?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you help me? I want to get down to the water." Sora nodded, standing up. He helped Riku pull himself to his feet, and allowed him once more to lean on him as they walked the few feet to the shoreline. Sora didn't see it as they walked, but Riku's bad leg barely moved at all. Whatever Xemnas had done to him was getting worse.

Riku was quiet, listening to the sound of the ocean. "At least the waves sound the same," he said softly. He himself didn't even know if he was referring to his home or to his dreams.

The two boys sat and allowed their bodies and minds to rest, the waves gently caressing their feet. They were tired, but neither wanted to close their eyes and find out that this dark place was their reality and not a bad dream. After many minutes of silence, Riku finally spoke. "What I said back there...about thinking that I was better at stuff than you...to tell the truth, Sora...I was jealous of you."

Sora looked up at his friend with a puzzled face. "What for?"

"I wished that I could live my life the way you do, just following my heart."

"Yeah, well, I've got my own share of problems too, you know," Sora said lightly.

"Like what?"

"...Like, wanting to be more like you." Riku started, hearing this from his friend. The person he had always teased, always made him feel small and insignificant, the one person who had always been there for him no matter what – wanted to be like him. Riku turned away from Sora so he couldn't see the sad smile that graced his face.

"Well, there is _one_ advantage to being me...something you could never imitate," he said suggestively.

"Really? What's that?"

"Having you for a best friend."

Silence. "Then I guess...I'm okay the way I am, because I have something you could never imitate as well." Sora smiled at his best friend, and Riku smiled back. The teens sat in silence, enjoying the small, salty breeze. They were oblivious to everything else, trying to make the best of a grim situation. However, Riku was just starting to doze off when he felt something hit his left foot. Surprised, he looked down to see a glass bottle floating on the waves. He picked it up, and saw that there was an old piece of paper and a white feather inside of it. He took off the cork with a _pop!_ and gently pulled out the paper and the feather. Looking once over at the paper, he smiled and nudged Sora.

"What?"

"I think this is for you," he said as he handed over the paper. The feather he kept to himself. It brought him a sense of déjà vu, a sense of calm, which washed over him and made him feel like he had never been injured in the first place. He held onto it tightly, staring at it like something would click in his mind and remind him of where he had felt or seen this.

Sora, however, had taken the paper and begun to read it out loud:

_Thinking of you wherever you are._

_We pray for our sorrows to end,_

_and hope that our hearts will blend._

_Now I will step forward to realize this wish._

_And who knows:_

_Starting a new journey may not be so hard_

_or maybe it has already begun._

_There are many worlds,_

_but they share the same sky –_

_one sky,_

_one destiny._

As Sora read, he swore he could he Kairi's voice. At the same time, the white feather began to glow softly, and Riku suddenly knew who had sent it. As soon as Sora finished reading, a bright light unexpectedly appeared in front of both of them, a thin line at first but ever growing into a large rectangular shape.

"Light," murmured Riku.

"The door to light…" mumbled Sora as well. Suddenly, he stood up and reached his arm out to Riku. "We'll go together!"

Riku looked at the awaiting hand, attached to his best friend. All the thoughts of what he had done, all the terrible things, were forgotten as he took it. "Yeah," he said, smiling. He stood up, the pain in his leg long gone. Clutching the letter and the feather, the two heroes of light walked into the doorway and to their unknown destination.

Far away, the sun was setting on a water filled world. The birds were chirping, the waves were crashing, and no one noticed when two points of light began to fall out of the sky from behind a white, fluffy cloud. The two falling stars, or so they seemed, were rushing faster and faster towards the water until _sploosh!_ they landed and went under. Moments later, two heads popped up: one with spiky brown hair, and one long silver hair. Looking around and coughing up salty water as they shook the water out of their hair, they were unsure of where exactly they were, until…

"Sora! Riku!" The two boys quickly found the source of the call. Kairi was standing on the beach near them, waving madly at them. Behind her was _their _island, the island where everything had started so long ago. Sora jumped for joy, or as much as he could while floating in the water, and started to swim quickly for shore. Riku followed close behind, just as excited.

As soon as Sora could touch the bottom, he stood up and began running through the waist-deep water as fast as he could, his lanky arms swinging behind him. Kairi chuckled to herself, trying to remind herself that this was the legendary Keybearer, after all. Suddenly hearing sandy footsteps, three blurs quickly ran by her and two of them glomped Sora. Goofy jumped on him first, followed by Donald, before all three of them landed in the water. King Mickey ran over to Riku and jumped so high that Riku caught him and spun him around his head like a little child. Goofy and Donald were still hugging Sora, making sure all of him was there. As soon as they let him up, he saw Kairi standing right in front of him. Quickly, he reached into his left pocket and brought out a five-pointed star made from thalassa shells, Kairi's good luck charm.

As Sora and Kairi looked at each other, they could feel the happiness of Roxas and Naminé inside of them. Sora smiled, then finally managed a "We-we're back."

"Welcome home," Kairi said, extending her hand to him. Sora grasped it, the lucky charm connecting their palms to each other. This time, no sudden earthquake jolted them apart. As Sora stood up, dripping wet, he and Kairi hugged each other like there wouldn't be another tomorrow. Sora had fulfilled his promise; his friends _and_ his family were finally home and together.

Riku, on the other hand, had just set King Mickey down and was looking around. King Mickey saw his searching gaze, smiling. "She's over by the paopu tree," he said casually. Riku looked at him, and then realized what he had said. Racing through the water, he ran across the sandy beach and into the old shack, dashing up the stairs, and threw open the doorway. Framed by the sunset was a girl standing on the edge of the little plateau, her hand resting on a coconut tree while she surveyed the ocean. Her brown braid trailed down her back, and she was still wearing her battle worn clothes from before. Riku slowly walked over the wooden bridge, its age showing through its small creaks. As he stepped upon the sand once more, he stopped.

Geni heard someone walking around behind her, but didn't bother to turn around. The footsteps had been heavy over the bridge, so she assumed it was Goofy. "Goofy, I said I'm –" she began as she turned around, but the words were caught in her throat as she saw him standing there. The hand that had been leaning against the coconut tree fell limply to her side, while a white feather was clutched tightly in her other hand. "Riku…"

"I'm back," he said, slightly rhetorically, as he smiled at her. Geni unclenched her fist, allowing the feather to drift lazily on the wind. She stood there, the breeze playing with her spiky bangs as her blue eyes blinked with disbelief. "I…" Before Riku could get in another world, Geni had dashed over to him and was clinging to his vest.

"Please," she sobbed, almost begging him, "don't leave me like that again." She was crying, hiding her face against him, her fists balled up in yellow fabric. Her tone suddenly softened; "I don't know what I would do without you."

Riku smiled, and pulled her close to him. They stood there for what seemed like ages, time forgetting them as it flowed ever on, as Geni's crying slowly ebbed. As soon as he could barely hear her, he slowly pushed her away. Surprised, Geni looked up; tear tracks covered her face and several splotches on Riku's vest. "Riku?"

"As long as I have breath in my body and a Keyblade in my hand, I swear that I will protect and watch over you. No matter how far apart we might get, no matter what happens – you will never be alone. I'll _always_ be here for you, Geni."

Geni's eyes misted over once again, hearing these tender words. "Riku…" she whispered.

Their eyes locked, aquamarine lost in ocean blue. He placed a gentle hand upon her cheek, wiping away a few stray tears. Outlined by the vibrant rainbow of the swiftly setting sun, Riku and Geni shared their first kiss of young love. Simple and clean, sweet and chaste, but lasting until the stars blanketed the night sky far above them.


	27. Epilogue

Epilogue

The happy reunion on the island didn't last long before it was moved to the main island where Sora, Riku, and Kairi lived. However, questions had to be answered before anything else. After Sora, Kairi, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had found the two lovebirds, they waited patiently for them to finish and they, _ahem_, loudly approached them.

They quickly discussed what had happened since they had been separated. For Sora and Riku, the felt they had only been gone for about five hours or so, depending on the length of the battle and how long they had been sitting on the beach. To their amazement, their friends astonished them by telling them they had been gone for nearly _three_ days. The portal Naminé had opened led them straight to Twilight Town, in the basement of the old mansion. Pence, Olette, and Hayner were still sitting watch, and were delighted when they returned. However, with Sora and Riku still absent they had promised to keep an eye on the doorway lest they came back that way as well. They waited for two days there, nursing injuries and letting exhaustion claim them, until they realized that Sora and Riku might appear elsewhere. Leaving their friends in charge, they left in the gummi ship to search for the large amounts of energy that had been released due to the destruction of The World That Never Was. Their quest led them back to Destiny Islands, and they had landed on the little island that morning. They had waited and waited, until their hope was wearing thin. Miraculously, the two boys then appeared, falling out of the sky, and landing at their feet.

After being gone for nearly one and a half years, the three residents of Destiny Islands plus a newly found sister returned home. Geni used her magic to float them over the water in a magical bubble, considering there weren't any boats on the island and they thought that the gummi ship would be too conspicuous near the residential district. As it was, their group consisted not just of humans but of a talking mouse, dog, and duck as well. As they walked over the dock and onto the sidewalk, all of the houses were lit up and they could hear talk as they walked home.

Their first stop was the closest: Kairi's house. She only lived a few blocks from the seashore. Knocking on the door, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman who had dark circles under her eyes. The mug she had been carrying dropped out of her hand and crashed to the floor when she beheld the sight on her doorstep: her daughter, missing for weeks now, her two young friends whom had been missing for over a year, a strange girl who looked like one of the boys, a mouse, a dog, and a duck.

"Kairi!" she cried, smothering her daughter in a hug. She cried and cried, while Kairi mumbled something about her family being "overemotional." Moments later a man came running when he heard the shouting, and joined in the hug fest as they welcomed their daughter home.

Kairi struggled against their vice grips, finally managing to get a word or two in. "Can we come in?"

"Of course, of course!" Her mother quickly shooed them all inside. "Herald, call the Akeno's and the Tamohara's. Tell them to get over here now!" Once inside, Kairi's mother dotted over her, and quickly made snacks and drinks for everyone. In a few minutes, the door bell rang. Kairi's father quickly answered it, and Mr. and Mrs. Tamohara, Riku's parents, ran inside. Riku stood up, displaying his new height, as he walked over to them.

Riku's mother stood there with her mouth gaping open. "I'm home," Riku said with a smile. Bursting into tears, Mrs. Tamohara rushed forward and embraced her son, now several inches taller than her. His father gripped him on the shoulder, smiling brightly as his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Two reunions down, one to go. Riku and his parents sat on a sofa on the far side of Kairi's living room, while Kairi and her parents occupied the kitchen making more snacks. Crying was intermixed with laughter as they caught up with each other, parents wondering where their children had been all this time.

Sora and Geni sat on a loveseat, while King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy took up positions on random chairs that had been brought into the living room. Sora, hungry as usual, was pigging out on sandwiches. Geni was strangely silent, looking around the room with little interest. "What's on your mind?" Sora asked as he gulped down another bite. "Feeling a little odd being in Kairi's house for the first time?"

"A little," she admitted. "But...everything feels oddly home-like to me, even though I've never been on the islands before. When we were walking here, I felt like I had been here before, like I knew the path I had never once trod upon."

"Hmm..." Sora mumbled as he took another bite. "I guess –" his next sentence was cut off as the doorbell rang yet again that evening. Seeing as all of the adults in the house were busy, Sora jumped up to answer it. As he opened the door, he asked "Who is it?"

Standing on the front porch in the dim light of the porch light, were Mr. and Mrs. Akeno, Sora's parents. They, like the other two sets of parents, looked disheveled and exhausted from worry. They stood there in shock, like the other two as well, until Sora's dad spoke. "Sora?"

"Hey dad," Sora said, his words catching in his throat. He hadn't realized how much he had missed them during his adventures. He ran the few steps towards them and caught them both in a large bear hug. "I missed you guys so much," he said as they returned his embrace.

"Sora, where have you been?" his mother said, for once crying out of happiness that her little boy was home. "You've been gone for so long…"

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I…had a job to do before I could come back home. I'm sorry I made you worry."

His mother pushed him away, still holding onto his shoulders though, as she inspected him only as a mother could. "Still too skinny…but where did you get those new clothes?"

"Some new friends," Sora said nonchalantly. "There's so much that I want to tell you, but first there's someone I want you to meet."

"You've got a girlfriend? Atta boy, Sora; a chip off the old block," his dad said humorously as he tousled his hair.

Sora turned slightly pink. "Well, ah, no – not quite. Come inside, but wait here." Sora brought his parents into the small hallway so they could close the door, and then went into the living room. His parents gave each other a searching look, wondering what on earth Sora was going to show them. They heard a plethora of voices coming from the living room and kitchen area, but more specifically it sounded like Sora was talking to another girl.

"You'll be fine; I'll be right back." They heard Sora finish his conversation just before he walked back into the hallway. He had a smile on his face that banished all uncertainties from their thoughts. "Okay, she's in here." Sora grabbed his parent's hands and they walked into the living room. There was a mouse, a duck, and a dog sitting on some chairs near the front window, and Sora's friend Riku was sitting with his parents on a sofa next to them. However, Sora's mother and father gasped when they beheld who stood in front of them.

Sora had predicted their reaction, as had Riku, Kairi, and the others, so as if on a cue everyone in the living room quietly went and joined the others in the kitchen. Riku had to herd his parents in there, as they were curious why there was a girl with Sora who looked exactly like him.

Geni stood in the middle of the living room, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She smiled nervously, and then dropped it seeing the shocked expressions of the two adults. Sora came and stood next to Geni for support, placing his hand on her shoulder as the quiet stand off went on. After a moment or two, Geni whispered to Sora as quietly as she could. "Maybe this was a bad idea..."

"Give them a minute," Sora whispered encouragingly.

As if they could have possibly heard the exchange, Sora's father was the first to break out of his silent stupor. "Sora...?" he asked questioningly.

"Genevieve?" Three startled pairs of eyes turned towards Sora's mother. Tears were running down her face, and she was wringing her hands, looking guilty. "You are...Genevieve, right?"

"...Why?" Geni said as calmly as possible, although Sora knew otherwise feeling her tremble underneath his hand. "Why did you –?"

"I'm so sorry!" she finally cried, bursting into a fresh downpour of tears. She began weeping uncontrollably, apologizing over and over again. Sora's father gathered her into his arms, and looked at his son...and daughter.

"You see, we married just out of high school, and tried going to college. But when you two came along, we didn't have the finances to support both of you at the same time. So when you were born, we decided to give one of you up for adoption." He paused here, clearing his throat. "It's not that we didn't love you, or didn't want you; but we couldn't give both of you the best life that was possible. We assumed that you would be better off with people who could. That's why when we finished the papers, we asked that we didn't know who received you and the people receiving you didn't know us. Please, forgive us. It was the hardest decision we ever made, and have regretted it many times over already." At this, even Sora's father allowed a few salty tears to drip down his cheeks.

Geni trembled. Her quest to find her biological parents had finally come to an end, around where she thought it would. Many emotions ran through her: anger, hatred, sadness, loneliness, even happiness. Could she do as they asked? Could she forgive them for being young?

Sora never left his sister's side, knowing that this conversation was more between his parents and Geni than between the four of them. Of course, explanations would come later, and they would have some explaining to do to the both of them, but it could wait. Moments later, Sora felt Geni's hand on top of his. He looked into her eyes, and she nodded to him. He let her go, and watched her walk slowly towards her birth parents.

Geni placed a hand upon her mother's shoulder and one upon her father's arm. "I don't hate you," she said quietly. Her mother's crying quickly stopped and they both looked at her with confused expressions. She smiled at them, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "The only thing I've ever wanted...is to know why. You don't have to be ashamed of what you did. As for my adopted family – well, there couldn't be a better one anywhere. So please, don't cry anymore," she finished. Her parents looked at her, unbelieving. This child sounded wise beyond her years, and she wasn't even a woman yet.

Her mother straightened, looking at her. She brought her arms up, and then decided against it. "May I...?" she asked, shrugging.

"...Sure," Geni said hesitantly. Her mother slowly brought her arms up and around her, finally embracing her own daughter after fifteen years of separation. Well, Sora's mom was the emotional type, and so it only figures that she burst out into tears again while she held her daughter. Geni's hands were still at her sides; she wasn't quite ready for this just yet. This woman might be her biological mother, but she was still really a stranger to her. Sora's father put his arm around the both of them, grouping them into a large hug.

Sora smiled. He saw how uncomfortable Geni looked, and felt for her. His parents could be...well, _physically_ emotional most of the time (examples? – bear hugs and noogies). Suddenly hearing a few sniffles behind him, he turned and saw a small crowd peering around the corner at the family reunion. Mostly it was Donald, Goofy, Kairi's parents, and Riku's parents. He couldn't see King Mickey, Riku, or Kairi but he heard their voices from farther in. Looking back, he saw Geni pull away from their parents.

"I would like you to meet someone," she said. "He's my adopted father, and I think you'll like him a lot." Geni turned and walked past everyone and into the kitchen where King Mickey was talking to Riku and Kairi. Everyone's eyes were on her, and the conversation stopped as she came up to stand next to them. "King Mickey?" she asked.

"What's the matter Geni?" he asked, sounding worried.

"Oh, no! Nothing's the matter! I...want you to meet my birth parents – Sora's parents."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive." Geni gently grabbed King Mickey's arm and pulled him out into the living room where Sora was standing with their mother and father talking. He turned towards them and smiled at the tiny king for encouragement. He could tell that King Mickey was a little nervous, meeting his adopted daughter's actual parents. They came and stood with them, the four humans towering above the mouse king.

"Mom? Dad?" Sora began. "This is King Mickey, ruler of Disney Castle. King Mickey, this is my mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. Akeno."

"A pleasure to meet you," King Mickey said in his high voice. The two adults looked dumbfounded, looking from Geni to the king.

"King Mickey is my adopted father," she explained. "My home for the last fifteen years has been at his castle on another world." The adults still looked confused, and slightly doubtful. _Oh, I knew this was a bad idea,_ she thought._ Human adults are so narrow minded sometimes._ However, her theory was about to be proved wrong when her biological father stooped down onto one knee, bringing him eye level with King Mickey.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty," he said as he stuck out his hand. "Thank you for taking such good care of our daughter for us. It looks like she couldn't have found a better home anywhere."

King Mickey grabbed his hand, shaking it enthusiastically. "Anytime, Mr. Akeno. Your son has been a great help in restoring the balance of darkness and light in the universe as well. You should be very proud of him." Sora's ears turned red at this statement, and Geni had a hard time not laughing out loud. His parents, on the other hand, didn't understand what he was talking about but were proud at the sentiments the little king offered about their son.

Geni sighed a huge sigh of relief. Her primary concern was of what her biological parents would have thought of King Mickey, considering what and who he was. They were now talking as if they had been friends all of their lives, swapping stories about their children and their accomplishments. They were sitting on the sofa nearest the door when Geni realized her appetite had come back to her. Excusing herself, she made her way to the kitchen and found a plate of peanut butter and jam sandwiches on a plate. Grabbing one, she sat down next to Kairi and Riku. Donald and Goofy were currently talking with the Tamohara's and Kairi's parents out on the other side of the living room about who knows what.

Slipping into a seat, she sighed as she took a bite of her sandwich. "What's up?" Riku asked as he took a sip of his glass of water.

"I'm not sure," Geni said, chewing slowly. "What's going to happen now?"

"What do you mean?" Sora questioned her as he came and joined them. "I think that went pretty well, considering."

"Well, your parents said they put me up for adoption. But according to the story that King Mickey has always told me, I just appeared one day floating in the central fountain in Hollow Bastion. So whoever _was_ going to adopt me didn't, or couldn't. What happened in between there?" This silenced the friends, and only the occasional sounds of chewing and gulping disturbed the silence. Plenty of talk and laughter drifted in from the other room, banishing any doubt that there would be problems between the residents of the Destiny Islands and the residents of Disney Castle.

Geni was the first to stand up. "Well, I guess I'll know someday." She washed her hands at the sink, and then walked towards the back door. "I'm just going outside for some fresh air; I'll be back in a little bit." Sora watched his sister go, worry in his eyes.

"Even though her heart is full now, and we know what mom and dad did – why she never grew up here, her past is still a puzzle with missing pieces." Sora sighed. "Why isn't anything ever simple?"

"Because that's life," Riku said as he stood up. "I'll go check on her for you," he offered.

"Thanks Riku," Sora said gratefully.

Riku nodded, and then walked out the back door. Kairi's backyard was small, with a little hill heading down into the alley behind it. Geni stood at the top of the hill, watching the stars in the night sky twinkle, her hands clasped behind her. It was quite dark behind the house; the lights from the street didn't reach all the way back here. Riku walked up slowly behind her and placed his arms around her, earning him a surprised squeak.

"Riku!" she admonished, turning her head to face him. He knew she wasn't annoyed or angry, judging from the smile on her face. "What's up?" she asked quietly as she leaned into him.

"You," he said just as quietly. "Sora was worried, and I offered to go check up on you." He paused, as they stared out into the universe. "_Are_ you okay?"

She breathed in deeply. "Yes, I suppose so," she answered indifferently. They stayed like that for several minutes; Riku towering over Geni as he gently protected her from the elements around them. The noises coming from the house were greatly muffled, and the windows were covered for the night to keep the bugs out. Completely alone and completely concealed, the two of them shared a wonderful view of the heavens.

A shooting star shot across the sky, leaving a glittering trail behind it. "Riku?"

"Yes?"

She loosened herself from his grip, and turned to face him, staring up at him while her eyes reflected the stars in the distance. "I never really thanked you for all that you've done for me; if it wasn't for you, I doubt I would be here right now, with you, Sora, and everyone else. Your light kept me from falling further into the darkness. So…thank you, for everything."

Riku smiled down at her. "_I_ should be the one thanking you. Without your help, I would have never survived living in that transformed state. I think the darkness in my heart would have taken over long ago if you hadn't been right there alongside me pushing it back." Strong emotions suddenly took over Riku, and he quickly looked away, trying to hide them from her. "I thought…that the darkness would always control me, that I would never be able to repent to those I care about the most. But then you came along, and I knew I could fight it – the darkness within and around me. Because of you…I was able to free myself from it, and now it no longer troubles my heart. So really you saved me; no matter how many times I say it, it wouldn't be enough. But...thank you anyway."

Geni felt her face growing warmer with each word. Thank goodness Riku was looking away from her. However, when he turned back to look at her, she saw the sadness in his eyes; a dull ache that throbbed at his heart. She knew that look, because she also had it – although most of the time both of them kept it hidden from those around them. The look of a past that haunted them; things they had done and said, things that they couldn't go back and fix no matter what. "Oh Riku," she said quietly as she placed a cool hand onto his cheek.

The two souls that had been lost in the darkness had found their way back to the light, but even surrounded by the brilliance of their friends and family they could not shake out every last drop of it. Riku allowed his head to droop slightly, leaning into her touch, until she looked as if she were cradling him. They stood in silence, her arms wrapped around _him_ this time, to protect both of them from destiny's cruel joke.

Unbeknownst to them, two blue pairs of eyes peaked at them through a gap in the curtain. "You think they'll be okay?" Kairi asked Sora. They had been watching through the kitchen window the entire time Riku had joined Geni in her backyard.

"I don't really know," Sora said with a shrug. "Only time will tell if their hearts will heal. But if I know anything about either of them, just being together will do wonders for them both. Also, I think that a change to a normal life will do them both good. I think we've all been submersed in the darkness for too long lately." He smiled at Kairi. "But we're home now, and that's all that matters."

Kairi smiled back, and laid her hand over his on the table. Squeezing it slightly, she said, "You're right. We'll be here if they need us, which they probably will at some point. I remember how much it hurt to go to the island after I came back without you two. It took me a long time to even get up the courage to go near the shore, but by that time I had forgotten about you for some reason. Only when my memories returned did I realize that waiting wasn't going to be enough for either of you. It was my turn to bring you two home."

"And we thank you for that." Sora leaned over to her, and even though he was blushing profusely, landed a quick peck on Kairi's check. As he stood up, even his ears were red by this point. "Ready?"

"Exhausted," Kairi replied with a stretch as she joined him.

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" Queen Minnie asked anxiously. "Your books, clothes, crystal ball, toothbrush?" 

"Yes, yes, I've got them all," Geni answered for the hundredth time as they stood in the guest room of the Akeno's home. Clean sheets and a comforter were on the bed, along with a scrubbed wooden floor and just painted light purple walls. "It's only for a few weeks, and then I'll be back. Remember the custody arrangement? The longest I'll be gone is when school starts."

"I know, I know," Queen Minnie sighed. "It's just…you've never been away from the castle for this long, and…" she shrugged in defeat. "You'll call everyday, right?"

"Of course! Queen Minnie, I'm _not_ leaving permanently; just for a little while. You and King Mickey both agreed it would be better for me to spend a lot of time with Sora, and Mr. and Mrs. Akeno said it would be okay for Sora to come with me on visits to the Disney Castle as well. This isn't goodbye…" but at this Geni choked on her words. "I mean, it's only temporary…"

"And you're quite right," Queen Minnie replied with an encouraging smile. "You can call anytime, and come home anytime you want to. You'll always have a home at the castle," she said quietly, wistfully. At those words, Geni let loose a few tears she had been holding back. Queen Minnie whisked into action and drew out an embroidered handkerchief from her pocket. Jumping onto a chair so she was at eye level, she quickly dabbed at her adopted daughter's eyes. "Shh, don't cry," she said as she stroked her head, like she used to do when Geni was little.

"'kay," Geni said with a slight hitch in her voice.

"There," Queen Minnie added as she dried the last of her tears. "Hang onto this for me, alright? So you can give it back to me when I see you again?" She handed her favorite handkerchief over to Geni, who clutched it tightly in her palm. "Now, no more crying. You know how excited everyone is that you're staying here. Especially a certain silver-haired person I know…"

"Queen Minnie!" Geni started, blushing furiously.

"What, you didn't think anyone else noticed? My dear, I'm not as old as you think."

They both laughed, soothing the already homesick atmosphere. "Well, it's time for me to go. We have the entourage from Provincial France coming this afternoon, and I believe this will be the prince's first time outside of his world in his new – or should I say his original – human form." And with that, Queen Minnie delicately hopped off of the chair and began to head for the door. Geni followed quickly behind her, passing the strange doors and going down the unfamiliar stairs. At the bottom in Sora's living room everyone was saying their final goodbyes. Donald and Goofy were giving Sora some last minute noogies, while Riku and the King were discussing inter-world politics. Mr. and Mrs. Akeno, along with Kairi and Riku's parents, had come to see the strange visitors off. Word had quickly gotten around the little island of the trio's return, along with their strange visitors. So, of course, friends had lined up around the block to come and say hello as well as – well, as politely as they could, stare.

"All set?" King Mickey asked as he saw his wife and adopted daughter heading down the stairs.

"Yes," Geni replied.

"Good, then we had better get going if we want to be back at the castle before that entourage arrives." King Mickey waved to Donald and Goofy, who then promptly joined him as they walked out the front door. To make it easier, they had moved the gummi ship into the street for unpacking purposes for Geni since she was going to be here for a while. At the bottom of the gangplank, King Mickey turned around and surveyed the scene before him.

Kairi was with her parents, Riku with his, and Sora and Geni standing next to each other with theirs. "Before we leave, know that you four have our gratitude for saving all of the worlds, and especially Kingdom Hearts. Without you, darkness would have reigned and the realm of light would have suffered. Now, everyone can finally be at peace. However, you are still the guardians of that peace so you may be called upon again in the distant future. So until that time, thank you: Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Geni." At this, he bowed to them. Standing up, he quickly walked over to Geni. She bent down, and they shared one last hug between father and daughter before his duties required him home.

"Know that there will always be a place for you at the castle, and in our hearts," he whispered into her ear.

"Thank you, for persuading me to leave all those years ago," she whispered back. Squeezing him gently, she let him go to join Queen Minnie. Waving one last time, they walked up the gangplank and into the ship as Donald lit the primary boosters. Farewells, shouts of thanks, and energetic waves were traded back and forth as the gummi ship slowly rose off the ground. The noise grew louder and louder, until sand was beginning to blow all around them. As soon as they were over the roofs' of the houses, Donald fired the rockets and the gummi ship took off one last time for its home at the Disney Castle.

Geni ran out into the street, waving until she could no longer see the speck that was her family of twelve years. Her arm slowly stopped waving, and set itself down on her side. She stared into the blue sky, hoping for one last glimpse of the tiny ship. Sora left his parents side, and joined her as they inspected the expanse above them.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked her seriously, knowing how nervous she had been for leaving the castle for so long. She brought her head down, and stared out across the island: the palm trees waving in the wind, the quaint houses lining the street, people still staring out after the strange ship, and the presence of her friends and family behind her. She took a deep breath, and looked at Sora with a smile.

"After losing my heart, overcoming strenuous physical obstacles for twelve years, battling the darkness, almost dying, coming back to life, _and_ finding my heart whole again?" Her smile widened into a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "I think I can handle this."

* * *

_The End…?_

_To Be Continued In "Songs of the Heart"_


End file.
